EU collaboration opens new opportunities for industry in AI and semiconductor innovation

The European Union is launching an ambitious effort to accelerate technological leadership in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Advanced Semiconductor Technologies (AST).

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Creating space for collaboration at a European scale

The IPCEI programmes within AI and semiconductors are designed to support large, strategically important innovation projects that no single organisation or market can achieve alone.

Anna Ottenhall, Programme Manager for Advanced Digitalisation at Vinnova, highlights the opportunity:

“With this initiative, Swedish companies can take a more active role in shaping Europe’s shared technological development. IPCEI enables major, mission‑driven projects to reinforce European value chains and help us address societal challenges together.”

This aligns strongly with Sweden’s innovation promise: openness, collaboration and trust as drivers of technological progress.

Why this matters

This initiative offers:

A platform for Swedish companies to influence Europe’s technological direction in collaboration with other European companies

Stronger European value chains in critical technologies

Collaboration across borders, industries and disciplines

Space to innovate solutions that support people, businesses and society

By joining IPCEI, Swedish companies contribute to a Europe where innovation is shared, trusted and human‑centred — a Europe that creates space for everyone to grow.

How the process works

Companies interested in joining the European application process are encouraged to submit a declaration of interest together with a high‑level project plan no later than 23 February 2026 at 14:00.

Projects will be carried out by large companies working in EU‑based partnerships within:

IPCEI Advanced Semiconductor Technologies (IPCEI AST)

IPCEI Artificial Intelligence (IPCEI AI)

Vinnova then reviews the submissions to find proposals with the strongest potential to contribute to constructive European collaboration. Selected companies will then move into an international matchmaking phase, where cross‑border consortia are formed.

In the final stage, companies may be invited to submit a full project plan for funding