Bayern to Strengthen Lead in Chip Production - Bavaria Aims to Lead in Chip Manufacturing with Energy-Efficient Photonic Chips
Bavaria is boosting its efforts to become a global leader in chip manufacturing. The region aims to attract top international scientists with competitive salaries and plans to produce energy-efficient photonic chips. These moves follow the challenges faced by Europe during the chip shortage and aim to reduce dependence on Asian suppliers.
Bavaria's strategy includes the Munich Quantum Valley initiative, founded in 2021, which aims to foster research in photonic chip production. This project, backed by the Free State of Bavaria and the federal government with hundreds of millions of euros, has the Max-Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Garching at its core.
The region is also investing heavily in this sector, having already poured 700 million euros into promoting chip production. This push comes as Europe struggles to meet its target of producing 20% of the world's chips due to fierce competition from Asia and the USA. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this issue, with the chip shortage costing the German automotive industry billions.
Bavaria's ambitious plans to manufacture photonic chips and attract top international talent could significantly reduce energy consumption and strengthen Europe's chip production capabilities. These efforts are part of broader political efforts to achieve semiconductor independence from Asian suppliers.
