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The European Investment Bank (EIB) and STMicroelectronics have signed a €500 million financing agreement to support Europe’s competitiveness and strategic autonomy. This is the first tranche of a broader €1 billion credit line recently approved by the EIB for ST, a leading semiconductor manufacturer with a strong European footprint in Italy, France and Malta serving automotive, industrial, personal electronics and communication infrastructure markets.
The new financing will back ST’s investments in innovative semiconductor technologies and devices across Italy and France, spanning both research and development and high-volume manufacturing. Approximately 60% of the funding will support manufacturing capabilities at key sites including Catania, Agrate and Crolles, with the remaining 40% directed to R&D. Since 1994, the EIB has supported nine ST projects totaling about €4.2 billion.
“Europe’s ability to lead in semiconductor innovation is vital for our competitiveness, resilience and climate goals. This agreement reflects the EIB’s commitment to supporting strategic industries that enable the green and digital transitions and strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty,” said Gelsomina Vigliotti, EIB Vice-President.
“ST continues to be committed to strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem, and this significant loan from EIB aims at bolstering our efforts in R&D for differentiated technologies and high-volume manufacturing across our sites in Italy and France,” said Jean-Marc Chery, President and CEO of STMicroelectronics. “ST’s longstanding collaboration with the EIB underscores our commitment to ensuring European technology leadership in the global semiconductor market.”
“Semiconductors are at the heart of modern economies, powering everything from electric vehicles to digital infrastructure. By financing ST’s investments in research and advanced manufacturing, we are helping Europe secure critical technologies and create high-skilled jobs for the future,” added Ambroise Fayolle, EIB Vice-President.
The announcement follows last week’s visit by an EIB delegation led by Vice-Presidents Gelsomina Vigliotti and Ambroise Fayolle to ST’s Catania facility, a state-of-the-art site covering the full Silicon Carbide (SiC) value chain and a key element of the Bank’s financing focus.
Original – STMicroelectronics
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onsemi has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Innoscience to explore a strategic collaboration focused on expanding the production of gallium nitride (GaN) power devices. The agreement leverages Innoscience’s proven 200mm GaN-on-silicon process and high-volume manufacturing capabilities, alongside onsemi’s strengths in system integration, drivers, and packaging, with the shared goal of accelerating the delivery of cost-effective, energy-efficient GaN solutions to a global market.
The collaboration aims to address the growing demand for high-efficiency power systems across industrial, automotive, telecom, consumer, and AI data center applications by combining onsemi’s GaN power solutions with Innoscience’s manufacturing scale. Initial focus will be on the low and medium-voltage GaN range (40–200V), with future development plans targeting a global GaN power device market projected to reach $2.9 billion by 2030.
Key benefits of the collaboration include:
- Expanded GaN Portfolio: The partnership supports the extension of onsemi’s low and medium-voltage GaN product line.
- Scalable Manufacturing: Access to Innoscience’s high-volume 200mm GaN-on-silicon capacity enables true mass-market deployment.
- System-Level Innovation: Combines advanced packaging, drivers, and integration expertise to support rapid time-to-market and cost-effective system design.
- Market Reach: Enables high-efficiency, compact power solutions for motor drives, EV converters, DC-DC power supplies, telecom infrastructure, and data centers.
Antoine Jalabert, Vice President of Corporate Strategy at onsemi, noted: “As power demands rise across every sector, GaN offers higher efficiency, smaller size, and lower energy losses compared to other materials. Through a collaboration with Innoscience, we expect to access the industry’s largest GaN production footprint and quickly scale our offerings to enable broader adoption in mainstream applications.”
Yi Sun, Senior Vice President of Product & Engineering at Innoscience, added: “GaN technology is essential to building more efficient power systems and reducing global energy consumption. We are excited to explore this collaboration with onsemi to accelerate GaN adoption and establish a platform for integrated system development.”
onsemi expects to begin sampling initial devices in the first half of 2026. This initiative builds upon its comprehensive intelligent power portfolio, which includes silicon, silicon carbide (SiC), and GaN technologies—positioning the company to deliver optimal power systems across next-generation electrified and AI-driven markets.
Original – onsemi
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Texas Instruments (TI) has announced the opening of its newest state-of-the-art assembly and test facility, TIEM2, located in Melaka, Malaysia. This latest investment marks a significant milestone in TI’s long-term strategy to expand internal manufacturing capacity and strengthen supply chain resilience.
The new six-level factory spans more than 900,000 square feet and is now fully operational. Connected to TI’s existing assembly and test factory in Melaka, the combined facilities now provide more than 1.4 million square feet of manufacturing space dedicated to transforming processed semiconductor wafers into finished chips. The factory is designed to bump, probe, assemble, and test billions of analog and embedded chips annually for a wide range of applications, including automotive systems, smartphones, industrial automation, and data centers.
Representing a potential investment of up to MYR 5 billion, the TIEM2 facility is expected to support up to 500 local jobs once fully ramped. The factory is part of TI’s broader initiative to bring 90 percent of its assembly and test operations in-house by 2030, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to internal manufacturing and operational control.
To mark the official opening, TI hosted Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Utama Ab Rauf Yusoh and other dignitaries for a tour of the site.
“Texas Instruments’ investment in Melaka is a strong endorsement of our state’s potential,” said Datuk Seri Utama Ab Rauf Yusoh. “When fully operational, this facility will generate hundreds of new high-quality jobs and contribute significantly to Melaka’s industrial and technological growth.”Subbah Rao, vice president and country managing director for Texas Instruments Malaysia, added:
“For more than 50 years, TI has built its presence in Malaysia, and this new factory underscores the talent and expertise of our team here. Our Melaka expansion strengthens our internal manufacturing capabilities, enabling us to reliably deliver products to our customers when and where they need them.”TI has a global footprint of 15 manufacturing sites, including wafer fabs, assembly and test factories, and bump and probe operations. The addition of this new facility enhances TI’s manufacturing ecosystem in Malaysia, complementing existing operations in both Melaka and Kuala Lumpur and enabling greater scalability and operational efficiency.
TIEM2 was also designed with sustainability in mind and is on track to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. Advanced factory equipment helps minimize energy, water, and waste consumption per chip, aligning with TI’s commitment to responsible manufacturing practices.
With this expansion, TI continues to build on its decades-long legacy in Malaysia, advancing innovation and supporting customer demand across global markets.
Original – Texas Instruments
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Infineon Technologies AG and SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. have announced a strategic collaboration to advance SolarEdge’s Solid-State Transformer (SST) platform for next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) and hyperscale data centers.
The partnership focuses on the co-design, optimization, and validation of a modular 2–5 megawatt (MW) SST building block. This platform combines Infineon’s advanced silicon carbide (SiC) switching technology with SolarEdge’s high-efficiency power conversion and control topology. The result is an SST solution delivering greater than 99 percent efficiency, supporting the transition to high-efficiency, DC-based data center infrastructure.
Solid-State Transformer technology is emerging as a foundational element in future 800-volt direct current (VDC) data center power architectures. It offers several key advantages, including significantly reduced size and weight, a lower CO₂ footprint, and faster deployment of power distribution infrastructure. The SST being jointly developed will enable direct medium-voltage (13.8–34.5 kV) to 800–1500 V DC conversion, streamlining the connection between public utility grids and high-performance compute environments.
“Collaborations like this are key to enabling the next generation of 800-volt DC data center power architectures and further driving decarbonization,” said Andreas Urschitz, Chief Marketing Officer at Infineon. “With high-performance SiC technology from Infineon, SolarEdge’s proven capabilities in power management and system optimization are enhanced, creating a strong foundation for the efficient, scalable, and reliable infrastructure demanded by AI-driven data centers.”
Shuki Nir, CEO of SolarEdge, added: “The AI revolution is redefining power infrastructure. It is essential that the data center industry is equipped with solutions that deliver higher levels of efficiency and reliability. SolarEdge’s deep expertise in DC architecture uniquely positions us to lead this transformation. Collaborating with Infineon brings world-class semiconductor innovation to our efforts to build smarter, more efficient energy systems for the AI era.”
As AI infrastructure drives a surge in global power demand, data center operators are increasingly focused on achieving greater efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. This collaboration builds on SolarEdge’s 15 years of leadership in DC-coupled architecture and high-efficiency power electronics, enabling it to expand into the data center sector with solutions optimized for grid-to-rack power distribution.
Infineon’s broad portfolio of semiconductor solutions—including technologies based on silicon, silicon carbide, and gallium nitride—is enabling power systems that reduce environmental impact and operating costs across the AI data center ecosystem.
Original – Infineon Technologies
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Magnachip Semiconductor Corporation has announced a strategic agreement with Hyundai Mobis Company Limited (Mobis) focused on the deployment and commercialization of high-performance Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) technology. This collaboration supports Magnachip’s broader plan to expand its power semiconductor portfolio, with particular emphasis on high-growth automotive and industrial applications.
IGBTs are essential power devices used in high-voltage, high-current systems such as electric vehicle (EV) traction inverters. According to Omdia, the global IGBT market exceeded $11 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow from $12.3 billion in 2025 to $16.9 billion by 2028, driven largely by demand from hybrid and battery electric vehicle platforms.
In the context of this accelerating market, Magnachip and Mobis have worked together since 2015 to co-develop IGBT solutions tailored for EV traction inverters. Under the collaboration, Mobis led structural design, while Magnachip contributed semiconductor process expertise. This long-term partnership has recently resulted in the development of new IGBT products that have successfully passed system-level evaluations and meet the stringent reliability and efficiency requirements of EV systems. Mobis plans to begin mass production of traction inverters using these jointly-developed IGBTs in 2026.
Magnachip also plans to leverage the co-developed IGBT design platform to drive its own product roadmap. The company expects to launch a new line of industrial-grade IGBTs in the first half of 2026 as part of its broader strategy to strengthen its position in the global power semiconductor market. The targeted end markets include industrial automation, AI infrastructure, and renewable energy systems.
“This strategic partnership marks an important step in advancing our IGBT capabilities,” said Camillo Martino, Chief Executive Officer of Magnachip. “The development of our new seventh-generation IGBT product family significantly enhances our portfolio and positions us to compete more effectively in high-performance, premium markets. Magnachip is actively targeting high-value opportunities in industrial, AI, and renewable energy applications, which we expect to represent a larger share of our product mix in the coming years.”
The company emphasized that expanding into the IGBT segment aligns with its transformation into a focused power semiconductor business and supports its long-term objective of capturing value in advanced, energy-efficient systems worldwide.
Original – Magnachip Semiconductor
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GlobalWafers Co., Ltd. has officially inaugurated FAB300, its new 300mm semiconductor wafer manufacturing plant at MEMC Electronic Materials S.p.A. in Novara, Italy. The company describes FAB300 as one of Europe’s most advanced and fully integrated 300mm silicon wafer facilities.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Italy’s Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, Senator Gaetano Nastri, Member of the European Parliament Isabella Tovaglieri, Novara Mayor Alessandro Canelli, and Vincent Y.C. Tsai from the Taipei Representative Office in Italy. Representatives from the Piedmont Region, along with customers, suppliers, and partners, also joined the event, marking a major milestone for the European semiconductor industry.
GlobalWafers Chairperson Doris Hsu emphasized that FAB300 represents more than just a production site. She described it as a symbol of innovation, sustainability, and shared growth, reflecting the skill and dedication of the company’s Italian team. According to Hsu, the new facility will enable closer collaboration with customers to co-develop advanced technologies and support Europe’s growing semiconductor ecosystem.
The Novara site has produced silicon wafers since 1976. In February 2022, GlobalWafers announced a €450 million expansion to add this new 300mm fabrication module, reinforcing its long-term commitment to Europe. FAB300 has received €103 million in R&D funding through the Important Project of Common European Interest on Microelectronics and Communication Technologies (IPCEI-ME/CT), a joint initiative between the Italian government and the European Union to strengthen the continent’s semiconductor capabilities.
Senator Gaetano Nastri highlighted that the project marks a crucial step for Italy and Europe, calling investments in the semiconductor supply chain “investments in the future.” Member of the European Parliament Isabella Tovaglieri added that FAB300 strengthens Italy’s position as an innovation leader and contributes to Europe’s technological independence.
The new facility was developed in partnership with major European microelectronics companies to ensure alignment with customer requirements and strategic priorities. STMicroelectronics praised GlobalWafers’ decision to invest in Novara, noting the site’s proximity to its own operations and its contribution to supply chain resilience.
Despite global economic challenges, GlobalWafers has remained committed to its European operations. The completion of FAB300 adds significant new manufacturing capacity and will create up to 150 high-skilled jobs. Novara Mayor Alessandro Canelli noted that the investment reinforces the city’s industrial heritage and demonstrates how innovation can drive both growth and employment.
Working in synergy with its Merano crystal growth facility, GlobalWafers now operates one of Europe’s few fully integrated 300mm silicon wafer value chains, spanning from crystal growth to finished wafers. Once fully ramped, FAB300 will produce 300mm polished and epitaxial wafers for advanced logic, memory, power, and sensor applications. The site will run entirely on renewable energy under the RE100 standard, with a focus on water recycling and sustainable manufacturing practices.
Marco Sciamanna, President of MEMC Electronic Materials S.p.A., said FAB300 represents the result of vision, competence, and strong collaboration among GlobalWafers’ teams, institutions, and partners. He noted that the site will serve as both a cutting-edge semiconductor facility and a model of sustainable growth for the future.
Minister Adolfo Urso stated that the inauguration confirms Italy’s growing leadership in the semiconductor sector and its contribution to Europe’s drive for technological sovereignty. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between industry, education, and research to strengthen competitiveness and prepare for future challenges.
The FAB300 project involved hundreds of suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and engineering firms, strengthening the entire Piedmont region’s position in the global semiconductor value chain. GlobalWafers also continues to collaborate with universities and research institutions to develop talent and foster innovation.
The opening of FAB300 follows the launch of GlobalWafers America in Sherman, Texas, earlier in 2025. Together, these facilities demonstrate the company’s commitment to geographic diversification and global cooperation with governments and customers.
Chairperson Hsu concluded that Novara now stands at the center of GlobalWafers’ European innovation strategy. She said FAB300 enhances Europe’s role in the global semiconductor landscape and exemplifies the company’s integrated, regionally anchored manufacturing approach. Through its advanced facilities across Asia, Europe, and the United States, GlobalWafers aims to provide a reliable, sustainable, and globally coordinated supply of 300mm silicon wafers for the technologies that will define the future.
Original – GlobalWafers
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Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has signed a basic agreement with Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), in collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric Taiwan Co., Ltd., to jointly develop high-voltage, high-current power conversion systems (PCSs) that use advanced power semiconductors for renewable energy applications such as solar and wind power.
Under this partnership, Mitsubishi Electric will provide its high-efficiency power semiconductor modules, while Mitsubishi Electric Taiwan contributes its market expertise. ITRI will apply its system integration and power conversion technologies to create a megawatt-class PCS prototype for demonstration testing. The collaboration aims to advance technology that efficiently converts electricity from renewable sources while supporting the growth of Taiwan’s renewable energy ecosystem.
Mitsubishi Electric and its Taiwan subsidiary plan to share design insights and test results with PCS manufacturers, helping them optimize their products using Mitsubishi Electric’s power semiconductor modules. ITRI will also offer related design documentation and data to support local industry development. Through this effort, both organizations aim to contribute to the global transition toward low-carbon, sustainable energy systems.
As renewable energy generation expands worldwide, demand for large-scale PCSs capable of converting electricity between direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) continues to grow—particularly for megawatt-class systems used in large solar or wind installations.
Mitsubishi Electric brings decades of experience in producing reliable, high-voltage, high-current semiconductor modules used in renewable energy generation, energy storage, and transmission. Known for their durability and stable performance in challenging environments, these modules are widely adopted across global markets.
ITRI, a leading research institute focused on the circular economy, low-carbon manufacturing, and renewable technologies, has extensive expertise in high-voltage and high-current power systems. It has played a key role in advancing Taiwan’s technology industries through innovation and collaboration with local companies.
Jwu-Sheng Hu, Executive Vice President at ITRI, said that the partnership represents a major step forward in Taiwan’s energy transition. He noted that as power systems evolve to accommodate renewable sources, stability and efficiency are becoming increasingly important. The collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric, Hu said, will combine ITRI’s system integration strengths with Mitsubishi Electric’s semiconductor expertise to improve green energy integration and strengthen Taiwan’s role in the global clean energy supply chain.
Masayoshi Takemi, Executive Officer and Group President of the Semiconductor & Device Group at Mitsubishi Electric, described the agreement as an important milestone for advancing renewable energy adoption. He said the partnership will help accelerate the development of megawatt-class power conversion systems using Mitsubishi Electric’s power semiconductor technologies. Takemi added that Mitsubishi Electric remains committed to supporting a sustainable society through solutions that balance environmental responsibility with business growth.
Original – Mitsubishi Electric
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GigaDevice has officially announced the launch of its Digital Power Joint Lab in collaboration with Navitas Semiconductor, a leader in gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) power technologies. The partnership brings together GigaDevice’s GD32 microcontroller (MCU) expertise and Navitas’ high-speed, high-frequency GaNFast and GeneSiC semiconductor technologies to accelerate the development of advanced digital power solutions for emerging markets such as AI data centers, renewable energy, energy storage, charging infrastructure, and electric vehicles.
Before its formal launch, the joint lab achieved several notable milestones, including 4.5 kW and 12 kW server power supply designs and a 500 W single-stage photovoltaic (PV) micro-inverter, addressing the industry’s growing need for high-efficiency and high-power-density systems.
The 500 W PV micro-inverter integrates GigaDevice’s GD32G553 MCU with Navitas’ GaNFast Bi-Directional power ICs in a single-stage DC-AC conversion architecture. The design achieves over 97.5 percent peak efficiency, 97 percent CEC efficiency, and 99.9 percent MPPT efficiency, while eliminating the intermediate DC-DC stage to improve power density and reduce system cost. Magnetic integration and GaNFast technology further minimize component count and losses.
For AI computing applications, the 4.5 kW and 12 kW AI server power supply solutions combine GigaDevice’s MCU control with Navitas’ GaNSafe ICs and Gen-3 Fast SiC MOSFETs. The 12 kW model meets OCP, ORv3, and CRPS standards, achieving an exceptional 97.8 percent peak efficiency, surpassing the 80 PLUS “Ruby” benchmark for high-performance data center power.
The new Digital Power Joint Lab will focus on co-developing system-level reference designs and application-specific power architectures that integrate intelligent control, high-frequency operation, and next-generation semiconductor technologies. Through this collaboration, GigaDevice and Navitas aim to enable smarter, greener, and more sustainable power systems that support the accelerating global demand for energy-efficient digital infrastructure.
Original – GigaDevice Semiconductor
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Renesas Electronics Corporation has announced its support for NVIDIA’s 800 VDC power architecture, introducing advanced GaN-based power technologies designed to enhance efficiency, scalability, and energy optimization in next-generation AI data centers.
As AI workloads accelerate and data center power consumption reaches hundreds of megawatts, the industry is moving toward higher-voltage, direct-current systems that reduce energy loss and simplify power distribution. Wide bandgap semiconductors such as gallium nitride (GaN) are emerging as the key enabler of this transformation, offering faster switching speeds, lower conduction losses, and superior thermal performance compared to traditional silicon devices.
Renesas’ GaN-based power solutions are engineered to support efficient DC/DC conversion across a wide range of operating voltages, from 48 V up to 400 V, with the capability to scale to 800 V in stacked configurations. Using the LLC Direct Current Transformer (LLC DCX) topology, these converters achieve efficiencies of up to 98 percent while maintaining high power density and compact form factors.
For the AC/DC front end, Renesas employs bi-directional GaN switches that simplify rectifier design and increase system-level efficiency. The company’s broader power component lineup—including REXFET MOSFETs, controllers, and drivers—complements these converters, providing a complete power delivery ecosystem for high-performance AI infrastructure.
“AI is transforming industries at an unprecedented pace, and the power infrastructure must evolve just as quickly to meet the explosive power demands,” said Zaher Baidas, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Power at Renesas. “Renesas is powering the future of AI with scalable, high-density energy solutions built on our advanced GaN and MOSFET technologies, ensuring the performance and efficiency required for the next wave of AI innovation.”
Renesas has also released a white paper detailing its approach to 800 VDC power distribution and conversion, exploring how its GaN-based solutions support the evolution of energy-efficient, large-scale AI data center infrastructure.
Original – Renesas Electronics
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Innoscience, United Automotive Electronic Systems (UAES), and NOVOSENSE Microelectronics have entered into a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly develop next-generation intelligent integrated Gallium Nitride (GaN) products for new energy vehicles (NEVs). The collaboration aims to enhance reliability, efficiency, and power density in automotive power electronics, paving the way for wider GaN adoption across the industry.
GaN: Transforming Automotive Power Systems
Gallium Nitride is emerging as a key enabler of automotive electrification. Compared to traditional silicon-based devices, GaN offers superior switching performance, higher power density, and greater efficiency, allowing for smaller, lighter, and more energy-efficient vehicle systems. These advantages directly address the industry’s growing focus on electrification, lightweight design, and sustainability.Combining Expertise Across the Value Chain
Through joint research, development, and validation, the three companies will address challenges related to performance, reliability, and cost in GaN-based automotive systems. Innoscience brings world-class GaN device technology, UAES contributes extensive system integration and application expertise, and NOVOSENSE adds advanced analog and mixed-signal IC design capabilities. Together, they aim to deliver commercially viable, high-performance GaN solutions tailored to the evolving needs of NEV manufacturers.Dr. Jingang Wu, CEO of Innoscience, emphasized that the collaboration aligns device innovation with real-world automotive requirements, enabling GaN’s full potential in vehicle electrification. Dr. Xiaolu Guo, Deputy General Manager of UAES, highlighted the importance of combining system and component-level expertise to accelerate GaN industrialization. NOVOSENSE founder and CEO Shengyang Wang noted that this alliance strengthens cooperation across the entire value chain, ensuring both technological advancement and market impact.
Accelerating the Future of Electrified Mobility
This strategic partnership represents a significant step forward for the automotive semiconductor industry. By leveraging complementary strengths, Innoscience, UAES, and NOVOSENSE are creating a powerful ecosystem to advance GaN innovation, strengthen the NEV value chain, and accelerate the transition toward more efficient and sustainable electric mobility solutions.Original – Innoscience Technology
