Proexca, under the management of the Government of the Canary Islands, joined a delegation of public institutions and private companies at SEMICON WEST to support the Canary Islands’ microelectronics ecosystem and promote their value proposition
Proexca, the Canary Islands Agency for Research, Innovation, and the Information Society (ACIISI), Best in Gran Canaria, the Canary Islands Special Zone, the Canary Islands Chip Cluster, and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) participated on July 9 in San Francisco, alongside a delegation of private companies from the Canary Islands, at SEMICON WEST. This participation was under the “CanaryChip” brand, created within the framework of the Canary Islands Microelectronics and Semiconductors Strategy 2022-2027 by the Ministry of Economy, Industry, Commerce, and Self-Employment.
SEMICON WEST is a premier international event in the semiconductor and microelectronics industry. This edition attracted over 15,000 visitors and 700 exhibitors, representing companies and entities specializing in design, manufacturing, raw materials, fabrication equipment, R&D centers in microelectronics, and universities worldwide.
The Canary Islands had their stand in the Spain Pavilion, organized by ICEX, in collaboration with the Economic and Commercial Office of Spain in Los Angeles, the Multisectoral Association of Electronics, Information and Communication Technologies, Telecommunications, and Digital Content Companies (AMETIC), the Spanish Semiconductor Industry Association (AESEMI), and the State Society for Microelectronics and Semiconductors (SEMyS).
Representing Proexca, Alex Sanchiz Vicente, Director of Proexca’s Washington Office, and Gustavo González de Vega, Deputy Minister of Economy and Internationalization and Vice President of Proexca, attended the event. González de Vega remarked that “SEMICON WEST San Francisco represents an exceptional opportunity for companies and entities within the Canary Islands’ microelectronics ecosystem.” He emphasized that “Proexca leveraged this platform to establish strategic and collaborative connections with local partners, facilitating knowledge exchange in a sector where investment in R&D and specialized talent is essential.”
Europe has a relatively weak position in the semiconductor sector. While it plays a significant role in parts of the value chain, its share in the global production market barely reaches 10%, even though it accounts for 20% of the demand.
The Canary Islands provide the economic, fiscal, natural, and logistical conditions to attract significant investments in the technology sector. The archipelago also boasts a significant semiconductor ecosystem (CanaryChip Ecosystem) within the national landscape, capable of presenting projects to the PERTE Chip program.