SRC Launches SPARC Consortium with $13 Million Research Portfolio for Advanced Semiconductor Technologies

Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) is announcing the launch of the Semiconductor and Packaging Advanced Research Consortium (SPARC), its newest industry-driven collaborative research program designed to accelerate breakthrough research in semiconductor technologies critical to the future of the global microelectronics ecosystem.

SPARC represents their newest project-based research program, enabling SRC members to rapidly identify emerging technology challenges, collaboratively define research priorities, and invest in high-impact research from top-performing universities to deliver both foundational innovation and practical industry relevance

"SPARC reflects the evolution of how industry and academia collaborate to solve the semiconductor challenges of tomorrow," said David Henshall, SRC Senior Vice President. "By bringing together our member companies to define and fund targeted research opportunities, we're creating a more agile framework for accelerating innovation while continuing SRC's long-standing mission of advancing semiconductor technology through university research."

Industry Launches SPARC with Over $13 Million Research Portfolio

SPARC begins with a strong foundation. An industry-funded, industry-led Research Council has selected 21 collaborative research projects representing more than $13 million in research funding to address critical technology priorities identified by SRC member companies.

These inaugural projects that kicked off recently span a broad range of next-generation research in semiconductor design, manufacturing and packaging and establish the first portfolio within SPARC's project-based framework. Collectively, these projects address the full semiconductor innovation stack—from advanced transistor architectures and heterogeneous integration to intelligent analog and mixed-signal systems. The program leverages AI, digital-twin methodologies, hands on experimentation, critical analysis and system-technology co-optimization to accelerate the development of scalable, energy-efficient, and reliable semiconductor technologies for the AI era and beyond.

The program builds upon SRC's proven model of connecting industry needs with world-class university researchers, while providing greater flexibility to address rapidly evolving technology priorities.

Strong Community Response Demonstrates Demand

Momentum for SPARC is even more evident from its very first public solicitation.

The program's inaugural call for research has generated nearly 500 concept paper submissions from researchers representing 121 unique universities, demonstrating exceptional interest from the academic research community.

The submitted concepts span three strategic technical tracks:

• Analog & Mixed-Signal (AMS) Technologies
• Advanced Packaging
• Manufacturing & Devices

Researchers whose concept papers are selected will be invited to submit full proposals as the competitive review process continues. The projects are expected to begin January 1, 2027.

"The response to our first public solicitation demonstrates both the strength of the university research community and the industry's appetite for collaborative innovation," said Girish Wable, Technology Program Director. "SPARC is creating new opportunities for researchers and industry to work together on the technologies that will define the next era of semiconductor advancement."

As semiconductor innovation increasingly depends on breakthroughs in heterogeneous integration, advanced packaging, manufacturing technologies, and next-generation system design, SPARC provides a collaborative framework that aligns industry priorities with the creativity and expertise of leading university researchers.

SRC is thankful to the hundreds of researchers and students who bring purposeful curiosity, bold ideas, and relentless technical rigor to address the industry's most pressing challenges and accelerate the pace of innovation. SRC is profoundly grateful to the member companies spanning the entire semiconductor ecosystem that have placed their faith and investment in this vision for collaborative research. SPARC exists because of this extraordinary partnership between industry and academia.