The Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT) released an open tender in May this year to commission the creation and delivery of a two-year pilot business incubator, focused on supporting early-stage UK companies.
Semiconductor design has long been an area of global strength for the UK, with companies such as Arm, Imagination Technologies and Graphcore leading the industry in delivering highly innovative design architectures to capture market leading positions.
This announcement is the first public outcome of the National Semiconductor Strategy published in the summer. The decision to commission SiliconCatalyst.UK to deliver a pilot semiconductor design incubator, with the first cohort of UK-based semiconductor startups to undertake an intensive nine-month incubation process, will begin in October. They will be developed and supported by the Silicon Catalyst’s global ecosystem.
This nine-month no-cost incubation process, where early-stage UK semiconductor startups will gain access to the full Silicon Catalyst ecosystem, will provide access to EDA tools, Design IP and Semiconductor Foundry prototyping. Companies participating in the Pilot Semiconductor Design Incubation program will also have access to the 270+ Silicon Catalyst advisors, Strategic Partners and an extensive network of investment groups. They will be mentored by experienced semiconductor industry executives, and connected into Silicon Catalyst’s global network.
Crucially, they will also be helped to prepare for the follow-on stage of their journey, including raising investment and potentially accessing later-stage incubation.
During the nine-month cohort session, the Incubator will provide 3 semiconductor startup focused training courses per month for the successful applicants. The interactive in-person workshops will help the early-stage startups learn how to develop a go-to-market plan, run board meetings, negotiate contracts and many other semiconductor industry-specific training courses that will help these new UK companies scale their business globally.
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