Pragmatic Semiconductor – Flexible Integrated Circuits for European Supply Chain Resilience
A British semiconductor venture is challenging the conventional silicon-chip industry with a novel approach that could reshape Europe’s technology landscape. Pragmatic Semiconductor, headquartered in Cambridge, has developed ultra-thin flexible integrated circuits (“FlexICs”) on plastic substrates. These chips, thinner than a human hair and capable of bending, can be embedded almost anywhere – from product packaging to wearable sensors. By sidestepping traditional silicon foundries, Pragmatic enables local production of simple chips using metal-oxide thin-film transistors, drastically cutting the capital and energy required for manufacturing. This innovation arrives at a critical moment for Europe. Recent global chip shortages and geopolitical frictions have exposed the continent’s dependence on overseas suppliers, especially for so-called “legacy” semiconductors used in everyday applications. Pragmatic’s technology offers a timely alternative: flexible chips produced in the UK that could fortify supply chain resilience and reduce reliance on imports. With strong investor backing – including a record £182 million funding round in 2023 – the company is expanding capacity to meet surging demand. Pragmatic Semiconductor stands at the intersection of innovation and strategy, promising not only to connect billions of objects via low-cost electronics, but also to advance European strategic autonomy in an era of intensifying tech sovereignty debates.