Five months after the launch of the European Union's Technology Sovereignty Package, the European semiconductor ecosystem will come together once again to assess the first developments, exchange perspectives and shape the next steps of Europe's technological journey.
Taking place on 4–5 November 2026 in Brussels (Le Plaza Hotel, Adolphe Maxlaan 118/126, 1000), the event, organised by the Industrial Alliance for Semiconductors in collaboration with the European Commission, will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers and Alliance members for two days of discussion on the policies, technologies and industrial priorities that are redefining Europe's semiconductor landscape.
Against the backdrop of the Technology Sovereignty Package, the evolving Chips Act 2.0 and the objectives of the Digital Decade, the event will offer a timely opportunity to reflect on how Europe can translate political ambition into industrial capacity, strengthen strategic autonomy and accelerate innovation across the semiconductor value chain. Particular attention will be devoted to the role of SMEs, end-users and emerging technologies in building a more competitive, resilient and interconnected European ecosystem.
Programme overview
Keynote speeches, policy discussions and interactive sessions will shine a light on the trailblazing initiatives and stakeholders making a difference in the ecosystem, but the programme will also look beyond policy. Insights from the ALLPROS.eu 2029 project partners will focus on the expected pain points, market trends and critical gaps that will help Europe address the challenges posed by the global semiconductor ecosystem. From technology sovereignty and skills development to European design capabilities and the growing role of innovative SMEs in strengthening the continent's industrial competitiveness, Alliance members will take part in dedicated Working Group meetings aimed to refine recommendations for the European Semiconductor Board. Networking moments, poster sessions and matchmaking activities will further encourage collaboration, knowledge exchange and new partnerships across the European semiconductor community.
Who should attend
This event is exclusively reserved for members of the Industrial Alliance for Semiconductors.
You are not a member? Learn how to apply here.
Day 1 — Wednesday 4 November 2026
Participant registration followed by a networking lunch.
Introduction to agenda and objectives of the day.
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Moderator
Roberta Fabrizi
Research Analyst, Trust-IT Services
Opening of the event and a discussion of the European Union’s digital, AI & TeleCommunications policy landscape.
Panel discussion with MEPs and Presidency on the future of the EU Semiconductor ecosystem.
During this Flash talks session IDC presents a:
• Global production share forecasts — can Europe realistically reach 20%?
• Investment flows: US CHIPS Act, Asian subsidies vs European Chips Act funding gaps.
• Strategic dependencies: where Europe is most exposed and where diversification is feasible.
• Key demand drivers: AI accelerators, automotive chips, edge computing — and who benefits.
A fireside chat with leading enterprises in the EU ecosystem.
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Moderator
Pierre Chastanet
Head of Unit - Microelectronics and Photonics Industry at EC - DG CONNECT
Chips JU - Success stories from funded projects
Poster session on European SMEs best practices and innovation
During this Flash talks session DECISION presents:
• Quantified talent gap: how many engineers, technicians and researchers Europe will need and where the shortfalls are worst.
• Training landscape assessment: which national programmes are succeeding and which gaps remain.
• Emerging skills priorities: AI-enabled chip design, advanced packaging, compound semiconductors.
The session provides an overview of the roadmap, highlights the progress achieved to date, and outlines the key next steps.
Co-chairs facilitate a structured discussion among WG members.
Closing networking opportunity to foster collaboration across the Alliance.
Day 2 — Thursday 5 November 2026
Bringing together leading women from industry, entrepreneurship, research and policy, this session will explore what leadership Europe needs to strengthen its semiconductor competitiveness, what can be learned from the personal experiences of those already leading the ecosystem, and how Europe can build a broader and more diverse pipeline of future semiconductor leaders.
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Speaker
Jimena Garcia Romeu
VP of AESEMI and CEO of Alcyon Photonics -
Speaker
Françoise Chombar
MELEXIS Chairwoman, Pact For Skills Flanders STEM network -
Speaker
Erja Turunen
Executive VP, Digital technologies at VTT -
Bodil Holst
CEO of Lace Lithography
During this Flash talks session YOLE presents forward-looking analysis on:
• Advanced packaging revolution: chiplets, 3D integration and heterogeneous systems
• Photonics & sensing: smartglass, LiDAR, medical imaging
• Automotive, industrial & health: where vertical chip demand will grow fastest and what Europe can supply.
Translating competitive advantages into domestic supply and manufacturing capacity requires strong industrial strategy. What will it take to turn Europe's forecast strengths into signed contracts, funded fabs and shipped products?
Poster session on European SMEs best practices and innovation.
This session examines where European design excellence is genuinely competitive, which emerging technologies represent the most strategic opportunities, and how the Platform, Chips Act Pillar I investments and a new generation of fabless companies are combining to build an ecosystem with global ambition.
Drawing on concrete experiences from demand-side communities, this session will explore how the Demand Accelerator concept introduced by Chips Act 2.0 could be put into practice. The discussion will examine how industrial requirements can be aggregated and translated into common technical roadmaps, co-design activities, pilot projects and early validation, with the aim of identifying practical models that can connect European semiconductor capabilities with future market demand and support the emergence of European lead markets.
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Arian Zwegers
Deputy Head of Unit "Microelectronics and Photonics" at European Commission
Networking and matchmaking between SMEs and investors/partners for future projects or Consortia.
Pierre Chastanet
Head of Unit - Microelectronics and Photonics Industry at EC - DG CONNECTHead of Unit at DG CNECT responsible for Microelectronics & Photonics, leading implementation of the EU Chips Act. Previously led cloud, software, and cybersecurity policy at EU level, including industrial data strategy and cloud infrastructure initiatives.
A core policy builder across Europe’s semiconductor, cloud, and digital infrastructure stack.
Arian Zwegers
Deputy Head of Unit "Microelectronics and Photonics" at European CommissionArian Zwegers serves as a Programme Officer at the European Commission's Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content & Technology, within the "Technologies & Systems for Digitising Industry" unit. He earned his PhD from the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands for his work in the field of system architecting. Prior to joining the Commission, he held positions at Philips Electronics' Centre for Manufacturing Technology, Baan Development, and PlatteConsult. During his time at the Commission, his work has spanned enterprise interoperability, service engineering, and the Future Internet Public-Private Partnership, and he currently focuses on the Digitising European Industry initiative.
Bodil Holst
CEO of Lace LithographyBodil Holst is a Danish-Norwegian physicist known for her work on nanoscale imaging, 2D material characterisation, and mask-based lithography using molecular beams. She is co-founder and CEO of Lace Lithography and an affiliated professor of Nanophysics in the Department of Physics and Technology at the University of Bergen, Norway. She chaired the Kavli Prize Committee in Nanoscience from 2019 to 2024 and has coordinated several EU collaborative research projects, bringing extensive expertise in R&D, nanotechnology, instrument development, microscopy, and materials science. She holds a Master's degree in Physics and Mathematics from the University of Copenhagen, a PhD in Experimental Physics from the University of Cambridge, and an Executive Master of Management, with coursework in global innovation management, project management, finance, and management, from BI Norwegian Business School.
Erja Turunen
Executive VP, Digital technologies at VTTDr. Erja Turunen is the executive vice president of one of VTT’s two business units: Digital systems. As the leader of the unit, Erja’s work involves strategic planning, engaging stakeholders and representing VTT in different organisations. Erja is also a member of VTT’s executive committee. Erja’s current responsibility area is Digital systems covering microelectronics, quantum, flexible electronics, sensing solutions, physical AI, connectivity and cyber security. Prior to her current role, she used to work as vice president in two different excellence areas at VTT. Turunen is also a respected researcher herself. She began her career at the Tampere University of Technology followed by Aalto and has done her PhD from material science. Erja has been at VTT over 25 years and has held various management positions for more than 20 years. Erja has been a member for multiple European initiatives and networks. Currently she is active in BoD’s for Kvanttinova Oy, Tamlink Oy and Enter Espoo Oy.
Françoise Chombar
MELEXIS Chairwoman, Pact For Skills Flanders STEM networkFrançoise Chombar is Chairwoman and co-founder of Melexis. She served as the CEO of Melexis for 18 years (from 2003 to 2021). She is currently a member of the Board of Soitec, Antwerp Management School and Mediafin and as investor in some start-ups / scale-ups. She has served as president of the STEM-platform for a decade (until September 2025) and continues to be an active member. The STEM-platform, an advisory board to the Flemish government, aims to encourage young people to pursue a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics education and to promote STEM to the broader public as a conduit towards more prosperity and well-being. Françoise Chombar’s long-term commitment to actively advocating more STEM and diversity and inclusion is driven by her profound belief in their positive societal impact.
Jimena Garcia Romeu
VP of AESEMI and CEO of Alcyon PhotonicsJimena García-Romeu Núñez is a distinguished executive whose career embodies the rare fusion of technical mastery and strategic vision. A Telecommunications Engineer from the prestigious Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, she further honed her leadership through elite programs including UCLA’s W50 and an Executive MBA at EOI. Her illustrious career across business development, marketing, and strategy has spanned some of the worlds most influential corporations: Freenow, Telefónica, Huaweai, Microsoft, and Vodafone. Since 2019, as CEO of Alcyon Photonics, she has driven the company’s commercialisation and scaling with vision and precision, navigating complex industry landscapes with exceptional acumen to seize emerging opportunities.
Roberta Fabrizi
Research Analyst, Trust-IT ServicesDr. Roberta Fabrizi works as Research Analyst at Trust-IT Services S.r.l. and is part of the ALLPROS.eu 2029 Digital Europe project which acts as the Secretariat to the Industrial Alliance for Semiconductors. Food technologist by training Roberta holds a PhD in Animal and Plant Sciences from the University of Sheffield's Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures, UK. In her research she looked at the way innovation is perceived and portrayed in moments of economic shift and political uncertainty. Today Roberta uses her skills in science communication, capacity building and knowledge exchange to create science dissemination content and to support EU-funded projects' communication activities and stakeholder engagement. At Trust-IT Services, Roberta puts her passion for scientific storytelling into practice by supporting the European digital innovation, sustainability and Earth Science.
Event venue: Le Plaza Hotel is located on Boulevard Adolphe Maxlaan 118/126, 1000, Brussels, Belgium
Accommodation recommendations:
- The Usual, Bd Adolphe Max 107, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium - https://rb.gy/q6d17n
- Cardo Hotel, Autograph Collection, Av. du Boulevard 14, 1210 Brussels, Belgium - https://rebrand.ly/uj0jji3
- Hotel Indigo, Pl. Charles Rogier 20, 1210 Bruxelles, Belgium - https://rebrand.ly/xub0kuk
Find also some restaurant recommendations here
Registration to the event is mandatory and participation is exclusively reserved for Alliance Members.
If you are not a member of the Alliance, there is still time for you to apply and participate. Check the process and eligibility criteria here.