IMS CHIPS

Name

IMS CHIPS

Legal name

Institut für Mikroelektronik Stuttgart (IMS CHIPS) Stiftung des bürgerlichen Rechts

Website

https://ims-chips.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microelectronics Research and Manufacturing Services

NAICS

Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing (334413), Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (3344)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro primary industry

Sensors, MEMS & Imaging ICs (HDAHAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs) (HDAHAAAH), Custom/ASIC & Foundry-Adjacent IDM Services (HDAHAAAL), Power Management & Power Conversion ICs (PMIC/DC‑DC/AC‑DC/Gate Drivers) (HDAHABAE)

Keywords

• Microelectronics research services
• Silicon photonics manufacturing
• MEMS technology development
• Semiconductor process services
• Nanostructuring foundry

Headquarters

HQ city

Stuttgart

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Contract Research and Manufacturing: B2B contract research and manufacturing services for industrial partners. IMS CHIPS supplies high-precision microelectronic and nano-optical components as well as complex microsystems with IECQ certification. Revenue generated through development contracts and production services.
2. Publicly Funded Research Projects: Participation in EU-funded projects (Chips JU, ECSEL), BMBF projects, and Baden-Württemberg government funded research. Examples include P4Q (€50M total budget), All2GaN (€60M total budget), and multiple other quantum and microelectronics projects.
3. Technology Transfer Services: Technological transfer to industry through the innBW Innovation Alliance, providing access to funding programs for innovative SME projects and collaborative development.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IMS CHIPS delivers B2B contract research and small-series manufacturing of microelectronic and nano-optical components as well as complex microsystems. The institute operates four business areas — Integrated Circuits & Systems, Silicon Photonics, M(E)MS Technologies, and Nanostructuring — supported by IECQ-certified cleanroom facilities that provide near-complete design-to-manufacturing capability under one roof for industrial partners and SMEs.

Product overview

IMS CHIPS (Institut für Mikroelektronik Stuttgart) is a research institute offering a comprehensive portfolio of microelectronics and nanotechnology solutions. The core offerings include four main technology pillars: Integrated Circuits & Systems, Silicon Photonics, M(E)MS Technologies, and Nanostructuring. These are supported by semiconductor process services providing complete design and manufacturing capabilities, including certified cleanroom facilities. The portfolio includes specialized components such as germanium-on-silicon photodetectors for quantum applications, Thin-Film Lithium Niobate (LNOI) platforms for quantum optics, GaN power electronics for energy efficiency, and silicon carbide quantum sensors. For industrial AI applications, IMS CHIPS develops proprietary AI sensors through the DoRiE project that evaluate sensor data at the edge. Medical technology products include smart catheters with multi-channel signal readout, the PanaMEA blood glucose implant, and flexible Hybrid Systems-in-Foil (HySiF) sensor systems. Additional offerings encompass HDRC high-dynamic-range image sensors, Optical Phased Array LiDAR systems, and photonic quantum processors for measurement-based quantum computing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Contract Research and Small-Series Manufacturing Services
• Semiconductor Process Services
• IECQ-Certified Cleanroom Manufacturing Services
• HDRC CMOS Image Sensors with Global Shutter
• Germanium-on-Silicon SPAD Photodetectors
• Optical Phased Array (OPA) Solid-State LiDAR
• DoRiE Edge-AI Sensors
• PanaMEA Blood Glucose Implant
• Smart Catheters and POSITION-II Open Technology Platforms
• Hybrid Systems-in-Foil (HySiF) Flexible Sensor Foils
• PhotonQ Measurement-Based Photonic Quantum Processor

Quantifiable outcome

• GaN chips can improve energy efficiency by 30% compared to common semiconductor solutions, potentially saving 218 million tons of CO2 worldwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Germanium Quantum DetectorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2026The start-up Germanium Quantum Detectors works closely with IMS CHIPS to develop and manufacture innovative germanium-on-silicon photodetectors at IMS CHIPS cleanroom facilities. The technology based on Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) targets quantum communication, medical technology, and autonomous driving applications.
• Q.ANTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Q.ANT for development of photonic AI processors. IMS CHIPS provides manufacturing capabilities for photonic chips while Q.ANT brings quantum photonics expertise for energy-efficient AI hardware solutions. Featured in SZ Dossier and national news coverage.
• European CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Commission representatives visited IMS CHIPS for exchange on research, innovation, and technology transfer. IMS CHIPS participates in EU-funded projects including Chips Joint Undertaking initiatives.
• Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism Baden-WürttembergmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose collaboration with the state ministry on innovation and technology transfer initiatives. Minister Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut symbolically handed over €1.3M funding check for Photonic AI project.
• Innovationsallianz Baden-Württemberg (innBW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMS CHIPS is a member of the Innovation Alliance Baden-Württemberg, engaging in technological transfer to industry. The alliance comprises 13 non-university research institutes supporting technology transfer from research to industry in Baden-Württemberg.
• University of StuttgartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose partnership enabling PhD studies at the university. IMS CHIPS combines university research with industrial applications. Collaboration on QSens quantum sensor cluster.
• microTEC SüdwestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology network bringing together industry, research, and development to drive innovation. IMS CHIPS actively involved with Ulrike Passlack elected to Board of Directors.
• Institute for Nano- and Microelectronics INESminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch network partner focused on nano- and microelectronics.
• Infineon AustriamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in All2GaN project (€60M budget) for affordable smart GaN IC solutions for greener applications, involving 45 partners from 12 countries.
• University of Stuttgart (Institute for Robust Power Semiconductor Systems)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerENSPECT project partner investigating radiation effects on GaN-based power electronics for space applications.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State PhysicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerENSPECT project partner collaborating on GaN power electronics reliability for space.
• TESAT-Spacecom GmbH & Co KGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerENSPECT project partner, leading international supplier of satellite electronics, exposing GaN components to simulated space radiation.
• mfd Diagnostics GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanaMEA project partner developing intelligent blood sugar monitoring implants. IMS CHIPS responsible for ASIC development.
• CorTec GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanaMEA project partner for intelligent blood sugar monitoring implant development.
• NMI Natural and Medical Sciences InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanaMEA project partner from University of Tübingen for medical implant development.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CEA-Leti: French microelectronics R&D institute doing contract research in CMOS, MEMS, photonics, and power electronics with industrial pilot lines. Highly comparable in business model and technology breadth, though significantly larger in scale.
• CSEM (Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique): Swiss applied research center providing contract R&D in microelectronics, MEMS, photonics, and quantum sensing for industrial customers. Closely aligned business model, technology portfolio, and customer type.
• Fraunhofer IZM: German Fraunhofer institute specializing in electronic packaging, system integration, and MEMS-based microsystems. Comparable in semiconductor contract R&D services with cleanroom infrastructure and industrial customer focus.
• Tyndall National Institute: Irish research institute specializing in microelectronics, photonics, and semiconductor device fabrication with industry contract research services. Directly comparable in mission, technology scope, and operating model.
• Fraunhofer IPMS: German Fraunhofer institute specializing in photonic microsystems, MEMS, and integrated sensor systems with cleanroom-based contract research services. Directly comparable in technology portfolio (photonics + MEMS) and contract research business model.
• IMEC: Belgian semiconductor research center with extensive cleanroom infrastructure and contract R&D services across advanced ICs, photonics, MEMS, and quantum technologies. Direct peer in business model and technology scope, though at much larger scale.
• IHP GmbH – Leibniz Institute for High Performance Microelectronics: German Leibniz Institute doing microelectronics R&D and contract manufacturing in Frankfurt (Oder), with a similar public-funded research model focused on silicon germanium, photonics, and wireless systems. Closely comparable operating model and customer base to IMS CHIPS.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finnish government-owned contract research organization offering microelectronics, photonics, MEMS, and quantum technology R&D services with cleanroom facilities. Similar public-funded applied research model serving industrial customers.

Broad incumbents

• Infineon Technologies: Global semiconductor leader and lead partner of the All2GaN consortium alongside IMS CHIPS. Comparable in GaN power electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, but operates at much larger commercial scale with broader product portfolio.

Emerging players

• Vanguard Automation: German startup and IMS CHIPS consortium partner on the PhotonQ project, developing hybrid integration and packaging for photonic quantum computing. Comparable emerging player in silicon photonics manufacturing tooling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ims-chips

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IMS CHIPS