- The new facility specialising in microelectronics, semiconductors and photonics is located at Málaga TechPark
Núcleo, the Semiconductor Innovation Hub promoted by Málaga City Council and managed by the municipal company Promálaga, part of the Department of Innovation, Digitalisation and Investment Attraction, has officially begun operations. Located within the Promálaga Coworking facilities at Málaga TechPark, this new centre has been established with the aim of consolidating Málaga’s position as an international benchmark for innovation and development in microelectronics. It will offer entrepreneurship programmes, specialised training and knowledge transfer initiatives for start-ups, technology companies and researchers.
The Mayor of Málaga, Francisco de la Torre, visited the facilities today, accompanied by the Councillor for Innovation, Digitalisation and Investment Attraction, Alicia Izquierdo. Also in attendance were Eduardo Valencia, Managing Director of Innova IRV; Karel Van, Director of the imec Spain Foundation; Fernando Garrido, Director of Public Policy Projects at the EOI Foundation; Teodomiro López, Rector of the University of Málaga (UMA); and Felipe Romera, Managing Director of Málaga TechPark.
During the visit, attendees toured the Núcleo facilities and were introduced to the business incubation spaces, the project’s strategic areas of activity and the first programmes to be implemented at this new innovation hub.
Closely linked to the arrival of imec
The initiative is closely linked to the future establishment in Málaga of imec, one of the world’s leading research centres in microelectronics and nanotechnology, which will open its first centre outside Belgium in the city. During the construction of its permanent headquarters in Málaga, imec will operate from Núcleo’s facilities. Its arrival will position Málaga among Europe’s leading semiconductor hubs and will result in the creation of more than 400 direct jobs.
Núcleo has the capacity to incubate more than 20 companies specialising in microelectronics, semiconductors and photonics. It will deliver pre-incubation, incubation and acceleration programmes designed to strengthen the competitiveness of start-ups and technology companies. The facility includes 26 incubation offices and 40 coworking workstations.
The hub will also serve as a meeting point for knowledge transfer between universities, research institutions and the business community, fostering new business opportunities and the development of innovative projects. Its objectives include promoting technology entrepreneurship, attracting specialised talent and training new professionals in strategic fields such as artificial intelligence, Industry 4.0, aerospace systems and connected vehicles. In addition, the centre will implement specific initiatives to support young people’s access to employment and provide training in technologies related to semiconductor design and manufacturing.
Entrepreneurship, Training and Knowledge Transfer
In this context, Promálaga has signed two collaboration agreements with the EOI Foundation, a public entity attached to the Spanish Ministry of Industry and Tourism, to develop entrepreneurship and professional training programmes linked to the microelectronics and semiconductor industry. These initiatives will support business creation and growth pathways for innovative companies, as well as specialised training programmes aimed primarily at young people enrolled in Spain’s National Youth Guarantee System. The objective is to improve their employability in a high-value-added sector experiencing growing demand for highly qualified professionals. More information at: https://www.malaga.eu/el-ayuntamiento/notas-de-prensa/detalle-de-la-nota-de-prensa/index.html?id=177514
Furthermore, Núcleo has already begun hosting activities focused on knowledge generation and specialised training. Among them is the international Tiny Tapeout chip design workshop delivered by Matt Venn. The initiative enabled students, professionals and individuals interested in open hardware to gain practical insight into the complete process of integrated circuit design and validation. Through this project, Málaga is strengthening its position as a leading ecosystem for technological innovation, fostering connections between talent, entrepreneurship, research and industry in one of the sectors with the greatest growth potential.