Press Release

TechWorks and SiliconCatalyst.UK Announce Collaboration

Companies will jointly work to accelerate early-stage semiconductor start-ups across the UK and Europe

September 26, 2025, London, England and Silicon Valley, California - Silicon Catalyst, the world’s only incubator and accelerator focused on the global semiconductor industry, is pleased to announce a collaboration agreement with TechWorks, the UK's semiconductor and deep tech industry association. The two companies will work to strengthen support for UK- and EU-based start-ups and accelerate their journey to becoming global scale-ups, in alignment with the goals of the ChipStart UK and ChipStart EU programs.

The UK has a long and accomplished history in semiconductor research, design, manufacturing, and innovation. Today, start-ups are a critical driver of that innovation, contributing significantly to the sector's prosperity and global relevance. SiliconCatalyst.UK delivers the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology funded early-stage semiconductor start up incubator ChipStart UK. It also accelerates seed-stage semiconductor startups to series-A investment with its 2-year commercial Silicon Catalyst programme. Having now launched ChipStart EU from their Silicon Catalyst EU Ltd company in Malta, funded by Chips Joint Undertaking and Malta Enterprise, they now have a portfolio exceeding 50 start-ups across Europe.

By aligning Silicon Catalyst's incubation and acceleration expertise with TechWorks' membership base of established industry leaders, the agreement aims to create fertile conditions for semiconductor start-ups to progress from innovative prototypes into large-scale industrial deployment.

Charles Sturman, CEO of TechWorks, commented, "The UK and Europe have both the talent and innovations to create a new generation of billion-dollar semiconductor companies. This agreement with Silicon Catalyst brings together the best of start-up incubation with the strength of our industrial networks, creating a powerful pathway from concept to commercial scale. Together, we are building the conditions for long-term success in the global semiconductor market."

Under the agreement, Silicon Catalyst will become a member of TechWorks, strengthening collaboration across their ecosystems and the joint activities will include:

- Promotion opportunities for startups: Eligible Chip Start Portfolio Companies will be given the opportunity to exhibit at flagship TechWorks events, helping showcase UK and EU start-up talent.

- Ecosystem collaboration: The parties will work together to encourage collaboration and support partnerships between start-ups and established companies, enabling cross-fertilisation of innovation across semiconductor systems and vertical market sectors.

Sean Redmond, President of SiliconCatalyst.EU, added “This collaboration reflects a shared Common Vision: to create the conditions necessary to release the next generation of transformative semiconductor companies in Europe. By combining the innovation of start-ups with the reach of established industry networks, TechWorks and SiliconCatalyst.UK and SiliconCatalyst.EU are working to strengthen the UK and Europe's position in the global semiconductor ecosystem.”

About TechWorks

TechWorks is the UK industry association for deep tech and semiconductors. Established in 1996, we operate a series of events, networking and collaboration hubs. Our 300+ members work across five domain-focused communities to address shared opportunities and challenges, creating vision and scale, and driving business growth to ensure the UK realizes its full potential. We also work closely with government bodies and international partners to align shared interests and objectives. Our collaboration networks cover: Microelectronic and Photonic system design, Semiconductor manufacturing, Automotive electronics, IoT Cybersecurity, AI and Power Electronics.

More information is available at: techworks.org.uk