Some 60 companies in the industry are members of the cluster. The most recent success story is the entry of the US-American semi-conductor manufacturer Intel as a shareholder on March 1, 2017.

Projects such as this and those behind the projects are tasked with giving the population the courage to explore new pathways, as Kaiser stressed in his welcome speech. “We need a 4.0 society which provides us with the conditions to approach things together and create something great,” according to the Carinthian state governor. The Silicon Alps Cluster will multiply potentials, fuel innovation and as a result create future-proof jobs.

By combining expertise in this field, the south of Austria has been placed in an excellent position. Thanks to network partners from the economic field, the cluster is able to operate at an internationally competitive level. In addition to generating value, the cluster also aims to protect or create jobs and drive innovation.

Silicon Alps Cluster GmbH, based in Villach, was founded in August 2016 and is Austria’s first inter-regional alliance in the key microelectronics industry. Its shareholders are the Styrian Business Promotion Agency (SFG), the Carinthian Economic Development Fund (KWF), the industrial associations of Styria and Carinthia, as well as AT&S, AVL, NXP, EPCOS, Infineon, Ortner Cleanroom, CISC and Intel (as of March 2017). The cluster currently has 60 members.