I would like to recognize and thank CMC staff for all their hard work. The accomplishments of the past year are the direct result of the dedication, resilience and strength of our entire team. I am proud to lead this group.
In July – just past the halfway point of the year, we received great news, as FABrIC was announced thanks to a strategic investment by the Government of Canada, specifically, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s (ISED) Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF). FABrIC is a five-year $223 million program to secure Canada’s future in semiconductors, focusing on specialized technologies with high growth potential where Canada has proven leadership and expertise – compound semiconductors, MEMS, Photonics, and quantum.
We hit the ground running and launched our first Challenges – calls for projects in semiconductor fabrication processes and IoT product development in September and the response was incredible. Some highlights:
We received 138 Expressions of Interest (EOI) from across Canada.
Of these EOIs:
68 focused on developing new or enhanced fabrication processes targeting photonics, MEMS, quantum technologies. Funded projects will deliver new capabilities will be made widely accessible to the Canadian ecosystem.
70 other projects focused on product development with the intent to commercialize new advanced sensors and other semiconductor products for the IoT market.
Over 90 projects are led by industry, almost 40 by post-secondary researchers and 8 by non-profits & research institutes.
Total value of R&D projects received is estimated at $235 million, an indicator of innovation taking place in the Canadian ecosystem and the need for stimulation to drive more market impact.
Projects received had clear paths to commercialization in many end-use applications.
We’ll be launching more challenges early in 2025, so please follow us and keep in touch for more FABrIC developments.
The volume and quality of projects is very encouraging and is an indication of how much energy and enthusiasm is in the Canadian semiconductor ecosystem right now. In the new year, we will continue to be present across Canada to present FABrIC at a series of local events to learn more about FABrIC, how you can benefit, and also to connect with fellow innovators across the Canadian semiconductor ecosystem.
We look forward to connecting with you at the Canadian Semiconductor Symposium which will take place in Vancouver in the Fall. Keep in touch with us for more information.
Besides FABrIC, CMC is on track to deliver solid fabrication numbers. Our global supply chain enables access to over 30 advanced technologies and includes dedicated and multi-project wafer (MPW) services for clients in industry and academia, in Canada and internationally. Our service offerings continue to expand to meet our clients’ needs.
We continue to attract emerging firms and talent to our Virtual Incubator Environment (VIE), enabling start-ups in Canada to accelerate their design of innovative products.
I want to again thank everyone who made 2024 a success including ISED Canada, all of our partners who have supported CMC and FABrIC from the beginning, and of course, the CMC staff for making it all possible.
On behalf of everyone at CMC, happy holidays, and we’ll have even more great news to share in the new year.
A video message is available here.