Bulgaria has taken a bold step toward securing its place in Europe’s rapidly evolving tech landscape with the launch of a national Centre of Competence dedicated to integrated circuits.
Unveiled at the Technical University of Sofia, this cutting-edge initiative is part of the EU’s Chips for Europe programme – a strategic effort to boost Europe’s independence and innovation in semiconductor technology.
The Centre of Competence in the Field of Integrated Circuits is set to become a driving force in research, development, and education in microelectronics, supporting everything from advanced chip design to start-up growth in the high-tech sector.
Georgi Angelov, Bulgaria’s Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth, commented: “With the building of the Centre of Competence in the Field of Integrated Circuits, Bulgaria’s competence in the area has every chance to improve its high-tech environment in the next couple of years.”
Driving innovation in microelectronics
The newly launched Centre is designed to accelerate research, development, and innovation in integrated circuits and microelectronics.
It will provide access to advanced design platforms, state-of-the-art simulation tools, and pilot production lines. These resources will be available to researchers, academic institutions, technology organisations, start-ups, and SMEs engaged in the microelectronics field.
The facility also serves as an educational hub, offering specialist training to help cultivate the next generation of microelectronics professionals. Key focus areas include integrated circuit design, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and cutting-edge enclosure manufacturing techniques.
Collaboration across borders and sectors
A defining feature of the Bulgarian Centre is its collaborative model. It unites top national institutions — including Sofia University, Technical Universities in Gabrovo, Varna, and Ruse, and leading institutes from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences — with industry and international partners.
Global innovators such as Belgium’s Imec and Germany’s Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf are actively involved, reflecting the Centre’s cross-border ambition.
Industrial collaboration is further reinforced through strategic partnerships with Sofia Tech Park and the Association for Research and Development (SNIRD), which support commercialisation efforts and offer mentorship and financing for emerging tech ventures.
Boosting Bulgaria’s high-tech credentials
This initiative aligns closely with Bulgaria’s Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation, which prioritises sectors like mechatronics and microelectronics.
The Centre is expected to bolster the country’s technological ecosystem by attracting global expertise, fostering sustainable industry-academia links, and facilitating new production capabilities within the integrated circuits domain.
With Bulgaria currently in talks with leading international tech companies, the launch of this competence centre marks a significant step toward establishing the country as a regional hub for innovation.
The project is one of 30 similar centres across the EU, each contributing to a resilient, competitive, and interconnected European microelectronics landscape.
