EU Launches Chip Design Platform With €525 Million Mobilization

The European Commission launched the European Chip Design Platform on Nov. 4, 2026, and said it would mobilize €525 million for European chip design companies. The initiative aims to help develop a new generation of firms in a segment where European companies account for less than 1% of global revenue.

Known as EuroCDP, the platform will provide access to design software, support services, intellectual property blocks and manufacturing capacity. It is part of the EU Chips Act, which aims to help early-stage firms reach resources that can be costly or difficult to obtain.

Early-stage startups are eligible for grants of up to €100,000; the listed maximum for mature startups is €16 million. Those grant figures are separate program details; the €525 million is described as a mobilization for chip design companies.

Synopsys and the European Chips Joint Undertaking agreed on Nov. 4 to make Synopsys’ electronic design automation software available through EuroCDP. The software supports work from early-stage designs through preproduction, with design flows for artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, photonic integrated circuits, and analog and mixed-signal applications.

“The European Design Platform gives our chips start-ups and SMEs the support they need to overcome the barriers to turn their innovative ideas into silicon,” European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen said.

EuroCDP is being developed through a 12-partner European consortium coordinated by imec, which was selected for the role in April 2025.