Laatste nieuws in semicon
BlackRock Backs Axelera AI in Historic €210 Million European Chip Sector Investment
Eindhoven, Tuesday 24 February 2026
Raising a record-breaking €210 million with BlackRock’s participation, the Dutch scaleup is now poised to solve critical global AI energy bottlenecks, having already shipped to 500 customers.
VU Amsterdam Secures PhotonDelta Funding to Advance Light-Based Chip Technology
Amsterdam, Tuesday 24 February 2026
Supported by the €1.1 billion PhotonDelta ecosystem, VU Amsterdam and AMOLF are launching the METAPIC project to master wavefront shaping, a critical leap for dynamic light control in future semiconductors.
ASML Unveils Power Breakthrough to Boost Chip Output by Fifty Per Cent
Veldhoven, Tuesday 24 February 2026
By doubling the frequency of molten tin droplets, ASML has achieved a 1,000-watt light source, projected to boost chip production by 50 per cent by 2030 and secure its market dominance against emerging rivals.
Supreme Court ruling curbs executive trade powers as new tariff threats emerge
Washington, Saturday 21 February 2026
On 20 February 2026, the US Supreme Court delivered a significant blow to President Trump’s protectionist agenda, ruling 6-3 that his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose global tariffs exceeded executive authority. While Chief Justice Roberts’ opinion reasserts the judiciary’s role in checking presidential power—a move welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron as a victory for democratic counterweights—the economic landscape remains volatile. In a swift retaliatory manoeuvre, President Trump has already signed a decree for a fresh 10 per cent universal import tariff, set to take effect on 24 February, invoking the Trade Act of 1974. Consequently, while the Benelux semiconductor and deep tech sectors enjoy a momentary legal reprieve, the transatlantic trade environment faces renewed instability. Investors must now navigate this constitutional tug-of-war, as the administration pivots to alternative statutory mechanisms to maintain trade barriers.
MicroAlign Secures €2.5 Million to Scale Production for Quantum Computing
Eindhoven, Thursday 19 February 2026
This €2.5 million EIC grant empowers MicroAlign to industrialise the world’s first active-alignment fibre arrays, delivering the nanometer precision essential for next-generation photonic quantum computers.
New €100 Million Foundry in Twente to Scale Global Photonic Chip Production
Enschede, Saturday 14 February 2026
Addressing a critical global manufacturing gap, this facility enables companies to scale silicon nitride chip production locally, preventing a forced exodus of European tech innovation to Asia.