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About us

An initiative of the State of Baden-Württemberg.

Chip Connect BW is a network funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism to strengthen the semiconductor ecosystem in the state. The project is coordinated by microTEC Südwest e.V. The project office is located at the Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI).

Menschen, die miteinander sprechen
Project office

Your contacts.

Format for professional exchange

Working groups.

  • Chiptainability & IPCEI Spillover

    Stefan Wunderer (Nokia)
    • Sustainable microelectronics
    • Economic viability and startups
    • European funding programs

    Online kick-off:
    October 20, 2026 – 4 p.m.

  • Chip Design & Advanced Integration

    Richard Willems (Swissbit)
    • Network for chip design
    • From methodology to manufacturing
    • Platform for the chiplet ecosystem
    • Transfer between research and industry

    Online kick-off:
    October 13, 2026 – 4 p.m.

  • TaLÄND

    Prof. Jürgen Becker (KIT)
    • Dedicated chip design degree programs
    • Professional and academic further education
    • Analysis of missing content and models

    Online kick-off:
    October 20, 2026 – 2 p.m.

Four core partners

Strong partners on the ground.

The Chip Connect BW project office is based at IPAI Heilbronn and brings together four core partners who jointly cover the entire semiconductor value chain.

  • imec Germany

    Applied AI & chiplets

    imec Germany is imec's center of excellence in Heilbronn and supports the development of a strong regional innovation ecosystem focused on advanced chip design, chiplets, and AI architectures for autonomous edge applications.

  • Fraunhofer IAF

    Basic research

    Leading research institution for applied solid-state physics and microelectronics — home of the state-funded FRAUKE project to strengthen semiconductor expertise in Baden-Württemberg.

  • e-mobil BW

    Industrial implementation

    State-owned innovation agency focused on future-proof mobility solutions — a bridge between research, industry, and policy for the electrification of the transport sector in Baden-Württemberg.

  • IPAI Heilbronn

    AI & microelectronics

    Growing hub for artificial intelligence and microelectronics in the state — home to the Chip Connect BW project office and venue for the launch event in July 2026.

What this means for you: The partners cover the entire value chain – from basic research (Fraunhofer IAF) to applied AI (imec Germany) to industrial implementation (e-mobil BW). Here you'll find direct contacts for collaborations, joint research projects, and turning your ideas into practice.