Soitec
Soitec is a French public semiconductor materials company that designs and manufactures engineered silicon-on-insulator substrates using proprietary Smart Cut™ technology, supplying chipmakers serving mobile RF, automotive, and cloud/edge AI markets under multi-year supply agreements.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersBernin, France
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Soitec does
Soitec S.A. is a French public semiconductor materials company (Euronext Paris: SOI) founded in 1992, headquartered in Bernin (Grenoble), and operating six production lines across France and Singapore with approximately 2,100 employees. The company designs and manufactures engineered semiconductor substrates — primarily silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers plus silicon carbide (SmartSiC™), gallium nitride (RF-GaN), and photonic substrates — that chip manufacturers use to build RF front-ends, 5G filters, automotive power devices, edge AI processors, and data-center optical interconnects.
The foundation of Soitec's offering is its proprietary Smart Cut™ technology, co-developed with CEA-Leti, which uses ion implantation and molecular adhesion to transfer ultra-thin monocrystalline layers (10–100nm) between substrates with atomic-level thickness uniformity. This underpins ten product platforms (RF-SOI, FD-SOI, POI, Power-SOI, Photonics-SOI, SmartSiC™, RF-GaN, Imager-SOI, PD-SOI, MEMS-SOI) and complementary technologies (Smart Stacking™, Transistor Layer Transfer) serving three reporting segments: Mobile Communications (~50% of Q4 FY2026 revenue), Edge & Cloud AI (~32%), and Automotive & Industrial (~19%).
Soitec sells directly to enterprise semiconductor manufacturers through multi-year wafer supply agreements (e.g., Skyworks for POI, STMicroelectronics for FD-SOI, PSMC for TLT, Diodes for SmartSiC), generating revenue from hardware sales, technology licensing (notably the NSIG/Simgui China SOI license), and collaborative R&D services. Reported FY2025-2026 revenue was €592 million with a 25.4% EBITDA margin and positive free cash flow of €63 million; the company holds 4,800+ active patents and is led by CEO Laurent Rémont (effective April 2026, succeeding Pierre Barnabé).
Soitec firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Soitec
- Legal name
- Soitec
- Website
- https://soitec.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Soitec is a French public semiconductor materials company that designs and manufactures engineered silicon-on-insulator substrates using proprietary Smart Cut™ technology, supplying chipmakers serving mobile RF, automotive, and cloud/edge AI markets under multi-year supply agreements.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Soitec industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Semiconductor Materials
- NAICS
- Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (3344), Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (33441)
- SIC
- Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Silicon Wafers (Prime/Test/SOI) (HDAHAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Compound Semiconductor Wafers & Substrates (SiC/GaN/GaAs/InP/Sapphire) (HDAHAGAB), Wafer Services & Reclaim (Epitaxy, Thinning, Reclaim) (HDAHACAH)
Keywords
Where Soitec is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bernin
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
Soitec business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Semiconductor Materials Sales: Soitec generates the majority of its revenue from the sale of engineered semiconductor substrates (wafers) including RF-SOI, FD-SOI, POI, Power-SOI, Photonics-SOI, SmartSiC, and other specialized substrates to semiconductor chip manufacturers. Revenue is derived from both production volumes and development agreements with customers.
- Technology Licensing: Soitec derives licensing revenue from technology licensing arrangements, including the extended 10-year license agreement with NSIG (National Silicon Industry Group) subsidiaries Simgui and Simwings for SOI technology in China, with ongoing royalty arrangements.
- R&D Services and Development Contracts: The company conducts collaborative R&D projects with partners including CEA, NTU Singapore, and others, sometimes receiving subsidies and research tax credits that supplement revenue from commercial activities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Direct B2B sales to semiconductor manufacturers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Soitec product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Soitec designs and manufactures engineered semiconductor substrates (wafers) using its proprietary Smart Cut™ technology, producing a portfolio of 10 product platforms including RF-SOI, FD-SOI, POI, Power-SOI, Photonics-SOI, Imager-SOI, PD-SOI, MEMS-SOI, SmartSiC™ silicon carbide, and RF-GaN. These substrates are sold directly to chip manufacturers worldwide for use in smartphones, 5G infrastructure, electric vehicles, AI infrastructure, and industrial applications.
Product overview
Soitec is a global leader in innovative semiconductor materials that designs and manufactures engineered substrates using proprietary technologies. The company operates a platform-based business model centered on its core Smart Cut™ technology, which enables the production of ultra-thin monocrystalline layers for Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) and compound semiconductor substrates. The product portfolio spans 10 distinct substrate platforms organized across three strategic market segments: Mobile Communications (RF-SOI, FD-SOI, POI), Automotive & Industrial (Power-SOI, SmartSiC™, FD-SOI), and Edge & Cloud AI (Photonics-SOI, FD-SOI, Imager-SOI, PD-SOI). Additional offerings include RF-GaN and MEMS-SOI. Complementary technology platforms include Smart Stacking™ for 3D chip integration and Transistor Layer Transfer (TLT) for ultra-thin layers (5nm-1μm) in advanced packaging. Soitec serves as a critical materials supplier to semiconductor manufacturers worldwide, with products enabling performance and energy efficiency improvements in chips for smartphones, AI infrastructure, electric vehicles, and industrial applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SmartSiC™: Silicon carbide substrate technology for power electronics in electric vehicles and industrial applications
- Smart Cut™
- Photonics-SOI
- RF-SOI
- FD-SOI
- POI
Products and services
- RF-SOI Silicon-on-Insulator substrates providing reliable RF performance for cellular, Wi-Fi, and other high-growth connectivity markets; essential for 5G and wireless communications with high energy efficiency.
- FD-SOI Fully Depleted Silicon-on-Insulator substrates delivering low power consumption, high integration, and security for smart connected devices, automotive radar and processors, and RF mmWave applications.
- POI (Piezoelectric-On-Insulator) Piezoelectric-On-Insulator substrates enabling high-performance, energy-efficient RF filters for 5G smartphones with cutting-edge performance for signal coexistence in dense RF environments up to more than 3 GHz.
- RF-GaN RF Gallium Nitride substrates enabling RF designers to build high-efficiency power amplifiers for cellular applications.
- Power-SOI Smart power integrated circuit substrates meeting strict functional safety (FuSa) and integration requirements for intelligent power control systems in electric vehicles.
- SmartSiC™ Silicon Carbide substrates using proprietary Smart Cut™ technology to split high-quality monocrystalline SiC donor wafers and bond them to low-resistivity polySiC handle wafers, improving device performance and manufacturing yields while reducing environmental footprint for electric mobility, industrial, and renewable energy applications.
- Photonics-SOI Silicon-on-Insulator substrates for photonics applications providing high-speed data center interconnect solutions for cloud AI markets; critical for optical transceivers and co-packaged optics (CPO) architectures in AI infrastructure.
- Imager-SOI Silicon-on-Insulator substrates enabling high-resolution, energy-efficient image sensing solutions.
- PD-SOI Partially Depleted SOI substrates enabling customers to improve, enhance, and integrate increasingly complex computing capabilities and functions in cloud computing and network equipment.
- MEMS-SOI Silicon-on-Insulator substrates for micro-electromechanical systems providing higher precision, enhanced mechanical performance, and lower power consumption compared to conventional MEMS technologies for high-performance sensors.
Quantifiable outcome
- FD-SOI technology consumes 30-40% less power than conventional semiconductor designs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Soitec
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Soitec technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature9 records
Soitec partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.
- QuoblystrategicSoitec supplies FD-SOI 28Si wafers for Quobly's silicon-based quantum computers. First wafers are being processed at STMicroelectronics' 300mm facility in Crolles, France. The partnership supports Quobly's goal of deploying commercial quantum computers via cloud by end of 2026 and HPC infrastructure in 2027.
- NSIG (National Silicon Industry Group)core10-year extension of license agreement with NSIG subsidiaries Simgui and Simwings for SOI technology manufacturing and commercialization in China. No new technology transfer; focuses on strengthening Soitec's IP rights and market position in China's growing SOI substrate market. NSIG holds approximately 5.8% stake in Soitec.
- Skyworks SolutionscoreMulti-year supply agreement for POI (Piezoelectric-On-Insulator) wafers for Skyworks' Sky5 platform targeting 5G smartphone RF requirements. Soitec guarantees reliable, long-term supply to meet Skyworks' future RF requirements for current 5G mobile devices operating up to 3+ GHz.
- Tokai Carbon Co. LtdminorPartnership to develop advanced polySiC (polycrystalline silicon carbide) substrates for next-generation SiCOI (Silicon Carbide on Insulator) wafers. Supports Soitec's new facility in France using patented technology to enhance SiC substrate reuse by 70%.
- CEA (Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives)coreCollaboration to develop automotive cybersecurity solutions using advanced FD-SOI technology. Research demonstrated that FD-SOI substrates provide intrinsic protection against fault injection attacks, significantly increasing the effort and cost required for potential breaches.
- CCRAFTminorCollaboration under the €5 million ELENA project (Horizon 2020) to establish European LNOI (Lithium Niobate on Insulator) wafer supply chain. Soitec supplies LNOI wafers domestically for photonic integrated circuits, addressing previous reliance on single non-EU supplier.
- CEA-LeticoreLong-standing co-development partnership for Smart Cut technology and advanced engineered substrates. CEA-Leti co-invented Smart Cut technology with Soitec and continues as key research partner in semiconductor innovation ecosystem.
- PSMC (Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation)strategicStrategic partnership to provide 300mm TLT-ready substrates enabling advanced wafer-level 3D chip stacking. Combines Soitec's Smart Cut and infrared laser release processing for ultra-thin layers between 5nm and 1 micrometer, facilitating heterogeneous integration for smartphones, AI systems, and autonomous vehicles.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Soitec competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Shin-Etsu Chemical: Japanese chemical and silicon wafer manufacturer and global leader in 300mm silicon wafer supply, including SOI substrates. Soitec's most direct large-scale competitor in the SOI wafer market.
- SUMCO: Pure-play Japanese silicon wafer manufacturer producing SOI, epitaxial, and polished wafers for semiconductor fabs. Directly competes with Soitec in SOI wafer supply to logic and memory customers.
- GlobalWafers: Taiwanese wafer manufacturer producing 300mm SOI and silicon wafers globally through acquired SunEdison assets. Competes with Soitec in SOI substrate supply, particularly for CMOS image sensors and RF applications.
- Siltronic: German specialty silicon wafer manufacturer focused on 300mm wafers for advanced logic and memory. Soitec's primary European competitor in SOI and engineered wafer supply.
- SK Siltron: Korean silicon wafer manufacturer producing SOI and silicon wafers, recently expanded into silicon carbide substrates via SK Siltron CSS. Competes with Soitec across both silicon and SiC substrate portfolios.
- Wolfspeed: US-based pure-play silicon carbide substrate and device manufacturer. Direct competitor to Soitec's SmartSiC™ platform in the EV and industrial power electronics substrate market.
- Resonac (formerly Showa Denko): Japanese chemical and SiC substrate manufacturer (via its SiC epitaxial wafer business). Direct peer to Soitec SmartSiC™ in SiC substrates for power electronics.
- IQE: UK-based compound semiconductor wafer foundry specializing in GaN, GaAs, and InP epitaxial wafers for RF, photonics, and power applications. Direct peer to Soitec in GaN and compound semiconductor substrates.
Broad incumbents
- Coherent (formerly II-VI): US-based compound semiconductor materials and optoelectronic components company producing SiC, GaAs, and InP substrates. Broad incumbent overlapping with Soitec's compound semiconductor substrate portfolio.
Emerging players
- SICC (Shandong Shengong Carbon): Chinese silicon carbide substrate manufacturer rapidly scaling capacity to serve domestic EV and industrial customers. Emerging competitor to Soitec SmartSiC™ particularly in China, supported by local incentives.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Soitec social profiles
Digital presenceSoitec financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Soitec leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Soitec subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Soitec funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Soitec M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments5 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Soitec
What does Soitec do?
Soitec designs and manufactures engineered semiconductor substrates (wafers) using its proprietary Smart Cut™ technology, producing a portfolio of 10 product platforms including RF-SOI, FD-SOI, POI, Power-SOI, Photonics-SOI, Imager-SOI, PD-SOI, MEMS-SOI, SmartSiC™ silicon carbide, and RF-GaN. These substrates are sold directly to chip manufacturers worldwide for use in smartphones, 5G infrastructure, electric vehicles, AI infrastructure, and industrial applications.
Is Soitec a public or private company?
Soitec is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Soitec founded?
Soitec was founded in 1992. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Soitec based?
Soitec is headquartered in Bernin, France, in the Europe region.
How does Soitec make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Semiconductor Materials Sales are the primary driver. The others are technology Licensing and R&D Services and Development Contracts.
Who are Soitec's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Shin-Etsu Chemical, SUMCO, GlobalWafers, Siltronic, SK Siltron, Wolfspeed, Resonac (formerly Showa Denko) and IQE. Coherent (formerly II-VI) is listed as a broad incumbent. SICC (Shandong Shengong Carbon) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Soitec have an API?
No public API is recorded for Soitec.
What industry is Soitec in?
Soitec's product category is Semiconductor Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHAGAA, Silicon Wafers (Prime/Test/SOI), with a secondary code of HDAHAGAB, Compound Semiconductor Wafers & Substrates (SiC/GaN/GaAs/InP/Sapphire). Its NAICS code is 3344 and its SIC code is 3674.