KIT Strengthens Baden-Württemberg’s Semiconductor Industry

Partnership with the State Government and SUSS MicroTec Creates Jobs, a New Professorship, and Opportunities for Students
Wissenschaftler in Schutzkleidung im Reinraumlabor Gabriel Frütsche / SUSS
Cleanroom work at SUSS MicroTec SE.

SUSS MicroTec SE, one of the world's leading manufacturers of equipment for the semiconductor industry, the State Government of Baden-Württemberg, and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are joining forces to accelerate the expansion of the state's semiconductor industry. In a Letter of Intent signed today (Wednesday, July 29, 2026), the partners commit to close collaboration and mutual support.

As part of the partnership, KIT will establish a new professorship in Advanced Packaging and Heterogeneous Integration to consolidate research on advanced micro- and nanotechnologies across the entire value chain. The State of Baden-Württemberg will provide up to five million euros in funding over eight years, with the professorship set to remain in place beyond the initial funding period.

Opportunities for Students in a Globally Growing Industry

“Our strategic partnership with SUSS MicroTec and the establishment of this new professorship at KIT once again demonstrate how we bring together world-class research and industrial innovation,” says Professor Jan S. Hesthaven, President of KIT. "Drawing on our expertise, we are accelerating the development of next-generation semiconductors, which are a key technology for AI, quantum technologies, and sustainable energy."

Hesthaven also expects the collaboration to open entirely new opportunities for KIT students. According to the KIT President, they will have a unique opportunity to enter practical work environments at an early stage and contribute directly to semiconductor technology.

SUSS MicroTec SE also plans to invest 45 million euros in the construction of a new Application and Development Center in Karlsruhe. The company intends to develop equipment there and, in close cooperation with KIT, research new processes for semiconductor manufacturing. The project is expected to create up to 100 additional jobs. The global semiconductor industry is projected to generate revenues of nearly one trillion U.S. dollars this year. 

cko, July 29, 2026