As Spain invests heavily in semiconductors through the PERTE Chip program (€12.25 billion until 2027), Madrid is positioning itself not in mass production but in the higher value-added segments of the chain: R&D, design, testing, and integration. With its universities, research centers, and a dynamic base of innovative companies, the Spanish capital offers an ideal environment for international players – particularly German firms – looking to expand their activities in Southern Europe.
Academic and scientific strengths
Madrid concentrates several leading research institutions. At the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), the Semiconductor Devices Group (ISOM) brings together nearly fifty researchers specializing in micro- and nanoelectronic materials. In 2024, the Autonomous University of Madrid saw the creation of Crystal Semiconductor Technologies, a spin-off dedicated to R&D and prototyping.
This scientific base is complemented by a network of innovative companies such as Alcyon Photonics (integrated photonics), ArXiTEC (critical systems), and Sensia (advanced sensors). All are brought together within the Madrid Semiconductor Cluster (CITT), which connects universities, IMDEA research institutes, and private companies.
A complementary role in the national strategy
In the semiconductor landscape, Madrid has chosen to occupy a distinctive and complementary role to the major assembly and industrialization sites: that of an innovation hub focused on design, integration, and testing. This positioning makes it easier for foreign companies to integrate into the Spanish ecosystem by relying on local expertise and scientific partnerships.
An opportunity for German companies
For German businesses, Madrid represents a natural entry point into Spain’s semiconductor ecosystem. The region offers:
- a talent pool in electronic engineering and applied physics,
- a scientific density unmatched elsewhere in Europe,
- opportunities for collaboration with startups and research centers already oriented toward international cooperation.
Compelling arguments within a European environment increasingly shaped by the drive for technological sovereignty.