On Thursday, January 30th, EIS RUP program consultant and TalTech professor Jaan Raik, along with Metrosert board chairman Aigar Vaigu, introduced Estonian entrepreneurs to the new chip technology competence center KIIP at a webinar organized by the Estonian Electronics Industry Association.
During the hour-long webinar, the speakers provided a comprehensive overview of the KIIP center’s objectives, launch timeline, and opportunities opening up for electronics companies. The webinar had over 50 participants, demonstrating great interest in the new center within Estonia’s electronics industry sector.
KIIP is a strategically important project for Estonia, created within the framework of the European Union Chips Act and is part of establishing a pan-European network of chip competence centers. The center’s main goal is to support companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises and startups, in developing their design capabilities and enhancing skills in the field of chip technology.
Jaan Raik and Aigar Vaigu explained that KIIP will provide support for chip design and organizing pilot production, focusing on three main areas: hardware security, chip testing and safety, and functional verification. The center’s design competence is based on RISC-V architecture, open EDA, and artificial intelligence chip design, which enables companies to develop innovative solutions without large licensing fees.
KIIP will be established as a structural unit under Metrosert’s applied research center, with core partners being the Enterprise and Innovation Foundation (EIS) and the Estonian Electronics Industry Association. In a broader circle, TalTech and the University of Tartu will be involved with their knowledge, ensuring a strong scientific and practical foundation.
The project’s total budget is 2.4 million euros, funded equally by the European Union’s Digital Europe Programme and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. The chip center will launch in April 2025. The European Union funding is for four years, and the center’s long-term vision spans at least 10 years.
The chip technology competence center is an important step in supporting the development of Estonia’s electronics sector and enhancing competitiveness at the international level. It helps strengthen Estonia’s position in the field of chip technology and creates new opportunities for local companies and researchers, providing them with the necessary knowledge and network for chip design and development.