Silicon Austria Labs
Silicon Austria Labs is a non-university Austrian research center majority-owned by the Republic of Austria, providing cooperative and contract R&D in electronic and software-based systems—including micro/nano electronics, photonics, power electronics, and quantum—to industrial partners such as Infineon, AT&S, AVL, and NXP across three Austrian sites.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersGraz, Austria
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Silicon Austria Labs does
Silicon Austria Labs (SAL) is a non-university, for-profit Austrian research center founded in 2018 and majority-owned by the Republic of Austria, operating from three Austrian sites in Graz (headquarters and Validation Lab), Linz (chip design and EU Chips Design Platform activities), and Villach (SAL MicroFab cleanroom for micro/nano fabrication). The organization conducts applied research across the Electronics and Software-Based Systems (ESBS) value chain, with explicit capabilities in micro/nano technology, power electronics (including wide-bandgap SiC and GaN), sensor systems, wireless communications (5G/6G), heterogeneous integration, thin-film technologies, and—newly—industrial quantum hardware via the CHAMP-ION pilot line. SAL delivers three commercial offerings: cooperative joint research projects with industrial consortia, fee-for-service contract research, and open Project Calls inviting new partners; core technology assets include the SAL MicroFab cleanroom (Villach), the new Validation Lab (Graz, April 2025), and Europe's first installed ULVAC NLD-5700 TFLN etching system plus dual Evatec CLUSTERLINE 200 deposition systems.
The business model is primarily grant-driven. The majority of operating funds originate from EU framework programs—most notably the IPCEI ME/CT (Important Projects of Common European Interest on Microelectronics and Communication Technologies)—along with national funding from FFG (Austrian Research Promotion Agency), EFRE (European Regional Development Fund), Breitband Austria 2030, and direct base funding from the Republic of Austria. The remaining operations are commercial contract research, R&D services, and consortium project contributions from named industrial partners including AT&S, Infineon Technologies Austria, AVL List, Magna, and NXP Semiconductors. SAL does not publicly disclose pricing, and customer-facing outputs are research prototypes, validated processes, and technology transfer rather than commercial products.
SAL serves automotive & aerospace, semiconductor industry, energy generators & suppliers, medical technology, and machine & plant engineering segments. Key technical outcomes include the first European 8-inch thin-film lithium niobate wafer for integrated photonics, a 750V SiC MOSFET-based redundant EV power architecture (REDSEL project with Infineon and AVL), and the SEMIKRON Innovation Award for the Tiny Power Box power electronics project. The organization also operates the SAL Doctoral College and affiliated SAL Uni Labs and SAL Innovation Hubs for talent development and ecosystem intermediation.
Silicon Austria Labs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Silicon Austria Labs
- Legal name
- Silicon Austria Labs GmbH
- Website
- https://silicon-austria-labs.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Silicon Austria Labs is a non-university Austrian research center majority-owned by the Republic of Austria, providing cooperative and contract R&D in electronic and software-based systems—including micro/nano electronics, photonics, power electronics, and quantum—to industrial partners such as Infineon, AT&S, AVL, and NXP across three Austrian sites.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Silicon Austria Labs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Graz
- HQ country
- Austria
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Silicon Austria Labs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- EU and National Research Funding: Majority of funding from EU-funded programs including IPCEI ME/CT (Important Projects of Common European Interest on Microelectronics and Communication Technologies), FFG (Austrian Research Promotion Agency), EFRE (European Regional Development Fund), and Breitband Austria 2030
- Contract Research and R&D Services: Fee-for-service research conducted for industrial partners including contract research, characterization, measurements, testing, and manufacturing in micro/nano technology
- Cooperative Research Projects: Joint development projects with industry partners where costs are shared and results benefit consortium members
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Silicon Austria Labs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Silicon Austria Labs is an Austrian non-university applied research center that delivers contract research, cooperative research, and customized R&D services in electronic and software-based systems (ESBS). It operates advanced research infrastructure including the SAL MicroFab cleanroom in Villach for micro- and nano-fabrication and the Validation Lab in Graz for environmental electronics testing, serving industrial partners in automotive, semiconductor, energy, medical technology, and industrial automation.
Product overview
Silicon Austria Labs (SAL) is a non-university research center focused on electronic and software-based systems (ESBS), operating facilities in Graz, Linz, and Villach, Austria. The organization provides R&D services, cooperative and contract research, and operates advanced research infrastructure including SAL MicroFab (cleanroom facility) and the Validation Lab. SAL's research portfolio spans multiple technology domains including sensor systems, power electronics, intelligent wireless systems (5G/6G), heterogeneous integration, microsystems, embedded systems, and RF systems. The center collaborates with industrial partners through project-based research and offers open Project Calls for new partnerships, along with the SAL Doctoral College for structured PhD programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- R&D Services Customized R&D service offering spanning design, simulation, characterization, measurements, testing, and manufacturing in micro- and nano-technology, available to industrial customers on a project basis.
- Contract Research Customized research services delivered to specific industrial customers for targeted technology development and problem-solving needs.
- Cooperative Research Collaborative research projects with industrial partners along the electronic and software-based systems value chain, sharing costs and results within the consortium.
- SAL MicroFab Research cleanroom facility in Villach equipped with advanced thin-film deposition and etching systems for micro- and nano-fabrication work performed for and with partners.
- SAL Validation Lab High-tech laboratory at the Graz site where electronic components and sensors are tested under environmental influences including temperature, vibrations, and humidity, available to industry partners.
- Project Calls Open calls through which new industrial and academic partners can apply to join specific research projects with defined topics, timelines, and consortium structures.
Quantifiable outcome
- First 8-inch thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) wafer processed for integrated photonics in Europe
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Silicon Austria Labs
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Silicon Austria Labs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Silicon Austria Labs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.
- NXP SemiconductorscoreFAMES pilot line participant advancing European semiconductor technology through RTO collaboration; co-organizer of IPCEI Day 2025 showcasing microelectronics contributions
- AT&S AGcoreCo-organizer of Austrian IPCEI Day 2025; collaborative development of advanced IC substrates and packaging technologies under EU-funded IPCEI ME/CT program; positioning as first European manufacturer for 2nm microchip packaging
- EuroCDPstrategicEU Chips Access & Innovation Workshop co-organizer with FAMES and AT-C3; contributing to European chip design platform development
- Infineon Technologies Austria AGcoreREDSEL project partner developing onboard power supply concepts for electric vehicles integrating high-voltage and low-voltage systems; co-location of UWB application laboratory at SAL Graz; joint quantum photonics research through CHAMP-ION
- AVL List GmbHcoreREDSEL project partner for electric vehicle electrical architecture research; IPCEI ME/CT collaborative participation; automotive powertrain testing and simulation expertise combined with SAL electronics research
- EvatecstrategicStrategic partnership expansion for thin-film processing; installation of second Evatec CLUSTERLINE 200 system enhancing advanced deposition capabilities for photonics and microelectronics applications
- ULVACstrategicInstallation of first European ULVAC NLD-5700 TFLN etching system for thin-film lithium niobate processing, expanding advanced PIC 200mm batch processing capabilities
- Magnacore5GEARING project consortium partner developing 5G campus network guidelines for manufacturing industry; joint work on 5G deployment for local and rural regions
- LIWEST Kabelmedien GmbHminor5GEARING consortium partner providing cable media infrastructure and connectivity solutions for broadband deployment projects
- FH Kärnten (CUAS)coreROSE project partner developing soft robotic grippers with flexible sensors; ADMiRE Lab collaboration for rehabilitation and medical robotics; expertise sharing between university of applied sciences and research center
- Kompetenzzentrum Holz GmbHminorSmart Lightweight 4.1 project lead for EFRE-funded research on inkjet-printed sensors for composites and sustainable materials
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Silicon Austria Labs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- IMEC: Belgium-based leading semiconductor and nanoelectronics R&D center with deep capabilities in advanced packaging, photonics, and heterogeneous integration — directly comparable to SAL in micro/nano technology focus and contract-research model serving global industrial partners.
- CSEM: Swiss R&D center with applied research across microelectronics, MEMS, photonics, and embedded systems; similar mid-sized public-private research model serving industrial customers with contract and cooperative research.
- CEA-Leti: France's primary micro/nano technologies R&D center operated by the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission; comparable to SAL in mission, semiconductor/photonics focus, and government-linked ownership structure.
- TNO: Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research — Dutch publicly-funded applied research organization covering semiconductor, embedded systems, and wireless communications with a similar national-lab operating model.
- IHP – Innovations for High Performance Microelectronics: German Leibniz institute for silicon-based high-frequency and hetero-integration technologies; comparable to SAL in being a publicly-owned European R&D center focused on semiconductor process and integration capabilities.
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finland's publicly-owned applied research organization with electronics, sensors, and microelectronics research under government ownership — closely analogous to SAL in funding mix and industrial R&D services mandate.
- Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft: Germany's largest applied research organization operating ~76 institutes with public-private funding and contract research across microelectronics, sensors, power electronics, and communications — the closest structural analog to SAL across operating model, funding mix, and technology breadth.
Regional players
- ams-OSRAM: Austrian-headquartered semiconductor company with strong sensor and photonics portfolios; comparable geographic anchor in Austria's semiconductor ecosystem and overlap with SAL's sensor and photonics research, though operating as a commercial manufacturer rather than an RTO.
Broad incumbents
- Robert Bosch Engineering (Research & Advanced Engineering): Bosch's corporate research arm operating across automotive electronics, MEMS sensors, power electronics and embedded systems — overlapping with SAL's automotive, sensor and power-electronics research areas, but as a captive industrial research function.
Emerging players
- Fraunhofer IZM: Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration specializing in electronics packaging, heterogeneous integration, and microsystem reliability — overlapping directly with SAL's heterogeneous integration and microsystems research areas.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Silicon Austria Labs social profiles
Digital presenceSilicon Austria Labs compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Silicon Austria Labs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Silicon Austria Labs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Silicon Austria Labs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Silicon Austria Labs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Silicon Austria Labs
What does Silicon Austria Labs do?
Silicon Austria Labs is an Austrian non-university applied research center that delivers contract research, cooperative research, and customized R&D services in electronic and software-based systems (ESBS). It operates advanced research infrastructure including the SAL MicroFab cleanroom in Villach for micro- and nano-fabrication and the Validation Lab in Graz for environmental electronics testing, serving industrial partners in automotive, semiconductor, energy, medical technology, and industrial automation.
Is Silicon Austria Labs a public or private company?
Silicon Austria Labs is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Silicon Austria Labs founded?
Silicon Austria Labs was founded in 2018.
Where is Silicon Austria Labs based?
Silicon Austria Labs is headquartered in Graz, Austria, in the Europe region.
How does Silicon Austria Labs make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. EU and National Research Funding is the primary driver. The others are contract Research and R&D Services and cooperative Research Projects.
Who are Silicon Austria Labs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are IMEC, CSEM, CEA-Leti, TNO, IHP – Innovations for High Performance Microelectronics, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. ams-OSRAM is listed as a regional player. Robert Bosch Engineering (Research & Advanced Engineering) is listed as a broad incumbent. Fraunhofer IZM is listed as an emerging player.
Does Silicon Austria Labs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Silicon Austria Labs.