The Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) has officially launched SPARC, the Semiconductor and Packaging Advanced Research Consortium – a new industry-driven research program aimed at fast-tracking breakthroughs across the semiconductor ecosystem.
Industry Backs SPARC with $13M+ Portfolio
SPARC kicks off with real momentum. An industry-funded and industry-led Research Council has already greenlit 21 collaborative research projects, representing more than $13 million in committed funding.
These inaugural projects cover the full semiconductor innovation stack from advanced transistor architectures and heterogeneous integration to intelligent analog and mixed-signal systems.
The program leans on AI, digital-twin methodologies, hands-on experimentation, and system-technology co-optimization to push scalable, energy-efficient, and reliable semiconductor technologies for the AI era and beyond.
Academic Community Responds in Force
The response from universities has been striking. SRC’s first public call for research drew nearly 500 concept paper submissions from researchers at 121 unique universities.
Proposals fall into three strategic tracks:
- Analog & Mixed-Signal (AMS) Technologies
- Advanced Packaging
- Manufacturing & Devices
Researchers with selected concept papers will be invited to submit full proposals. The first wave of projects is expected to start on January 1, 2027.
Why SPARC Matters Now
As chip innovation increasingly hinges on breakthroughs in heterogeneous integration, advanced packaging, manufacturing technologies, and next-generation system design, SPARC offers a flexible, project-based framework that aligns industry priorities with top university talent.
It builds on SRC’s proven model of connecting industry needs with world-class researchers while adding the agility to pivot quickly as technology priorities evolve.
SRC says the program exists because of a strong partnership between industry and academia, with member companies across the semiconductor ecosystem backing the vision and hundreds of researchers and students bringing “purposeful curiosity, bold ideas, and relentless technical rigor” to the table.
Leadership Comment
“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.”
“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.”
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