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What is the FAMES pilot line?
FAMES is an EU-supported semiconductor pilot-line initiative focused on fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) technology. Its planned technology generations are 10 nm and 7 nm, alongside embedded non-volatile memory, radio-frequency components, 3D integration options and power-management components. These are development goals, not evidence that FAMES chips are already available for volume production. CORDIS project record
A pilot line provides a setting to develop, prototype and evaluate technologies before industrial production. FAMES combines research capabilities and infrastructure across partner organisations so users can access expertise and services that may be difficult to assemble within a single company or lab. The European Commission reported that the line was inaugurated at CEA-Leti in Grenoble on 30 January 2026, becoming the first of the five Chips Act pilot lines to become operational. European Commission announcement, 30 January 2026
Who collaborates in FAMES?
CORDIS identifies CEA-Leti as coordinator and names four hosting sites: CEA-Leti, Tyndall, VTT and Silicon Austria Labs. The other consortium participants are imec, Fraunhofer, CEZAMAT WUT, UCLouvain, Grenoble INP, the University of Granada and SiNANO Institute. These 11 public research partners span research and technology organisations, universities and an association; the hosting-site list does not mean every partner operates every facility. CORDIS project record
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This is different from the more than 40 industrial partners supporting FAMES, a figure reported by the Commission. The supporters are not additional consortium organisations. European Commission announcement, 30 January 2026
What does collaboration make possible?
Shared technology development
FAMES is developing FD-SOI generations described as 10 nm and 7 nm, with planned platform features including embedded non-volatile memory, RF components, 3D options and magnetic inductances or other power-management components. These capabilities may support future microcontrollers, processors, 5G/6G chips, imagers, sensors, secure and quantum chips, and edge-AI devices. Those are intended application areas, not products already delivered by the pilot line. CORDIS project record
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Services for prototyping and evaluation
The FAMES service offer includes chip design, process design kits (PDKs), demonstrators, prototyping and advanced manufacturing, along with characterization and testing. In practical terms, these services can help a user assess a design or technology using shared infrastructure before deciding whether and how to pursue industrial production. The particular service, site and technical fit depend on the project. FAMES official website · FAMES access guidelines
This model is the basis for saying Europe depends on RTO collaboration: not that every semiconductor capability is concentrated in FAMES, but that pooled infrastructure and accumulated know-how can bridge gaps between research and industrial evaluation. The Commission describes the inauguration as strengthening European semiconductor sovereignty; that is an institutional statement of purpose, not an independent measurement of the line’s impact. European Commission announcement, 30 January 2026
How can a company, startup or researcher seek access?
FAMES says European semiconductor stakeholders from industry, research and academia can seek access through annual open-access calls or spontaneous user requests. The project advertises a 2026 call and publishes access procedures and user guidelines. The guidelines govern eligibility and selection; applicants should not assume that every organisation or proposal qualifies. FAMES access page and guidelines
- Check the live access page. Review the current call dates, procedures and user guidelines; a call window or terms can change.
- Match the proposal to the platform. Identify the technical need—such as FD-SOI design, prototyping, manufacturing, characterization or testing—and the relevant service or site.
- Choose an access route. Apply through an annual open call or make a spontaneous request, following the instructions for that route.
- Confirm terms before committing. The guidelines address eligibility, project selection, cost, lead time, IP and know-how. The publicly available information cited here does not establish current service-specific prices or lead times, so obtain those details directly through the applicable procedure.
What do the published investment figures mean?
Two official figures are reported with different scopes and should not be added together or treated as interchangeable:
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| Figure | What the source says |
|---|---|
| €433,622,083 | CORDIS lists this as the total project cost for the FAMES action. CORDIS project record |
| €830 million | The European Commission describes this as combined investment from the EU and participating Member States. European Commission announcement, 30 January 2026 |
The Commission also reports that the new cleanroom at CEA-Leti adds 2,000 m² of capacity. The inauguration establishes an operational milestone; by itself, it does not establish utilization levels, maturity across all services or commercial outcomes for users. European Commission announcement, 30 January 2026
What FAMES does—and does not—show about Europe’s chip ecosystem
FAMES illustrates a shared-capacity approach: public research organisations and universities contribute facilities and expertise, while users can seek help with design, prototyping and technical evaluation. That approach can help translate research into technologies closer to industrial use.
It does not establish that Europe’s semiconductor sector as a whole relies on FAMES, that every applicant will gain access, or that the pilot line alone secures European technological sovereignty. The available figures describe consortium participation, facilities and investment; they do not quantify how much semiconductor capability across Europe depends on RTO collaboration.
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