In an open letter to the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, experienced technology executives have said the creation of a UK semiconductor strategy is a matter of urgency.
The signatories on the letter from an organization called Tech London Advocates include Hermann Hauser, of Amadeus Capital Partners; Jalal Bagherli, former CEO, Dialog Semiconductor; Janet Collyer, who spent 30 years with Cadence Design Systems; Jillian Hughes, Network Director at the National Microelectronics Institute
The letter reads: “The technology and manufacturing sectors have been waiting more than two years for the promised strategy, and confidence in the Government’s ability to address this industry’s vital importance is steadily declining with each month of inaction.”
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The letter contrasts the actions taken in the US, the European Union and China – where billions of dollars of government money have been set aside to invest in semiconductor R&D and wafer fabs – with the UK, where almost nothing has been done. The UK’s status as a part of the global technology ecosystem is at risk, the letter states.
The UK’s dependence on Taiwan, maker of 90 percent of the world’s advanced chips is also underlined.
The letter sets out four points that a UK semiconductor strategy must address, including the need to bring up open-access foundries to support UK startups.
