The Government of United Kingdom announced £10 million in funding to help up to 40 British companies develop next-generation computer chips that power everything from smartphones to medical devices, according to a government press release. Tech Minister Kanishka Narayan made the announcement at the Microelectronics UK Conference. The money will go through Innovate UK to companies working on advanced semiconductors in areas where Britain already has strengths.
The UK semiconductor sector is expected to grow 75% by 2030 as demand surges for chips used in cars, renewable energy systems, and defense equipment. The funding aims to help British companies compete in a global market worth hundreds of billions of pounds.
Semiconductors have become crucial for national security and economic competitiveness as countries try to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. The tiny chips run everything from satellites and cyber security systems to everyday gadgets. Recent supply chain disruptions showed how vulnerable countries can be when they don’t make their own semiconductors.
Companies getting funding include Paragraf Limited, which makes energy-efficient chips using graphene technology that could help phone batteries last longer and cut energy use in cars and planes. Silicon Microgravity Limited will create matchbox-sized navigation devices that work without satellite signals for fitness trackers and industrial robots. The fund gives companies access to ultra-clean manufacturing facilities, technical expertise, and business mentoring to turn research into commercial products.
Britain already has major semiconductor players like Arm, the country’s biggest tech company and global leader in chip design. Other firms like Pragmatic in Durham and Vishay in Newport are pushing innovation in flexible electronics and power semiconductors.
The investment supports the government’s industrial strategy and aims to create high-skilled jobs while reducing vulnerability to supply chain problems in this critical technology sector.
