The Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult was established in 2018 to help the United Kingdom become a global leader in compound semiconductors through collaboration with both large companies, and start-ups to develop and commercialise new applications utilising this technology.

Our purpose is to deliver long-term benefit to the country’s economy and accelerate economic growth in industries where applying compound semiconductors creates a competitive advantage and enables new products or end markets. The Catapult to date has initiated over £100M in projects and is forecast to safeguard or help create 4770 skilled jobs over the course of our initial five year plan.

CSA Catapult’s world-class Innovation Centre is based in the heart of the compound semiconductor cluster in Newport, South Wales where our 87-strong team is working closely with a number of the consortium partners on SiC module evaluation, characterisation, packaging as well as industry requirements as our contribution to the success of the ESCAPE programme.

Exawatt provides detailed manufacturing cost and performance forecasting, technoeconomic analysis and strategic consulting services to customers in the electric vehicle, power electronics, lithium-ion battery and solar PV supply chains.

The company was founded in 2015 to build on prior experience factory design and integration of PV module manufacturing facilities. Since 2017 it has been active in power electronics, with a focus on silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors and their application in electrified transportation and charging infrastructure. Exawatt is a founding partner in the ESCAPE project.

McLaren Applied Ltd. develops world-leading products that harness the power of electrification, telemetry, control and analytics. Our vision is to pioneer a better future by uniquely applying data science, design and engineering.

We draw on a 30-year heritage in electronics and data systems expertise derived from motorsport, including Formula 1 and Formula E, to support other sectors including automotive, public transport and beyond.

McLaren Applied has been at the forefront of automotive electrification technology for over a decade from the first-generation inverter and motor for the McLaren P1. With powertrain efficiency being the most critical consideration in the development of electric vehicles, our fast-charging fifth generation 800v high performance inverter is the fourth generation with silicon carbide (SiC), increasing both vehicle range and performance.

As lead partner of the ESCAPE project, we bring our unique experience in developing SiC power electronics for both motorsport and automotive applications in order to support the growth of a stable supply chain for the technology in the UK.

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MaxPower Semiconductor, Inc. was founded in 2007 in the Silicon Valley, U.S.A. With a robust and expansive IP portfolio, which has been established by an internationally renowned team in the power technology industry, MaxPower provides advanced and proprietary power semiconductor solutions that offers optimized performance. MaxPower has successfully developed its technology platforms and products together with its Tier-1 customers across the globe.

In 2019 MaxPower established a fully owned subsidiary, MaxPower Semiconductor U.K., Ltd to institute a research & development and design team dedicated to Silicon Carbide (SiC) power semiconductors for use in the burgeoning electric vehicle and other related application markets in the United Kingdom (U.K.) and Continental Europe.

Within MaxPower U.K.’s SiC efforts, it has partnered in a consortium-based project named ESCAPE (End-to-end Supply Chain development for Automotive Power Electronics) to create a complete end-to-end supply chain for next generation SiC Power Electronics, which is a critical component in the electrification of automobiles amongst other infrastructure related applications. By supplying innovative and novel SiC MOSFETs, MaxPower plays a critical role in creating and sustaining the U.K.’s first SiC power electronics supply chain.

Microchip’s Advanced Packaging Services are based in South Wales, UK. With a history of innovating for more than 30 years, our team offers extensive knowledge and expertise to fully support cutting-edge projects and design innovative technology that gives a competitive edge.

Our expertise lies in our precise, secure assemblies to create components that can withstand harsh environments such as extreme temperatures and pressures. We can adapt our solutions to cater to your Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) and security requirements. Our IP-protected products are designed, manufactured and tested in our South Wales facility to deliver full supply chain management of your project.

With a track record of success in designing and developing next-generation miniaturised electronic modules, Microchip’s Advanced Packaging Services are at the heart of mission-critical projects for a net-zero carbon economy.

Through UK design and manufacture of bespoke power modules using advanced Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs, Microchip Advanced Packaging Services play a critical role in the ESCAPE objective for a UK supply chain for the automotive, energy and industrial markets.

Tribus-D Ltd is a micro SME with over 60 years of industrial experience within the Micro-Electronic Manufacturing business. We have hands on experience of designing and implementing manufacturing processes for Automotive, Aerospace, Oil and Gas, Medical and Consumer applications. We have specialist knowledge in electronic materials, interconnection processes, die attach systems, hermetic sealing, encapsulation, adhesives, soldering and laser processing.

Tribus-D Ltd is seeking to establish a position in the market of packaging of power electronics, building on its long experience of packaging of electronic devices. In the last four years, Tribus-D has been working on Innovate UK funded projects to examine the ways of assembling integrated power modules using embedding methods and is applying this knowledge to the development of innovative ways of building power modules with minimum interconnections and thermal interfaces.

This is being achieved through the generation of relevant IP and then positioning Tribus-D to exploit the results either as a design and manufacturing based consultancy model, IP licensing or royalty based business model to the ESCAPE electronics manufacturing supply chain.

The experience gained will allow Tribus-D Ltd to apply the technologies developed to an extended range of power electronics (e.g. higher voltages (>15kV) and to other target application areas for wide bandgap semiconductors (e.g. RF/microwave, photonics and sensors) through the route of collaboration with the UK based supply chain, followed by transfer of knowledge to a production electronics manufacturing capability, generating income for further growth.

Turbo Power Systems (TPS) are a provider of power conversion solutions, specialising in the design and manufacture of a wide range of innovative high speed electrical machines and power electronic products for varied applications. Our pedigree is focussed in the three core markets of Energy, Industrial and Transportation where we have supplied products ranging from Auxiliary Power Supply for Rail to Oil free, high speed compressor motors for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) application.

More recently TPS have developed and supplied pioneering high power electronic converters for smart grid electricity network distribution and Electric Vehicle charging. Both of these opportunities represent strategic high growth markets of the future and critical areas for realising the decarbonised economy of the future.

Based in Gateshead UK with over 165 employees at its Design and Manufacturing centre, TPS has served both domestic and global export markets for over 40 years. We continue to support large infrastructure projects and manufacturing organisations from our base in the UK and satellite offices in Atlanta, Rio de Janeiro and Kuala Lumpur.

To maximise value for our clients, we are an early adopter of cutting-edge and latest technology. An example of this is in the area of Wide Bang Gap semiconductor materials, where we adopted small Silicon Carbide power devices as early as 2015 to realise compact and efficient power supplies for Rail. This provided TPS with the knowledge and confidence to adopt, more recently, higher power Silicon Carbide MOSFET modules for products with technically challenging specification. These products are entering active service in systems including the London Underground and UK Electricity Distribution Networks, demonstrating their applicability far beyond just automotive application.

Clearly then, access to a sovereign supply source for Silicon Carbide devices is critical to our business and future growth, hence TPS participation in ESCAPE to aid delivery and demonstration of a UK capability for Wide Band gap power devices.

Techworks is the Industry body for Deep Tech technologies representing almost 300 member companies across multiple sectors including Electronic Systems Design and Semiconductor Manufacture (NMI) and Automotive Electronics / Electrification (AESIN). We provide dynamic, connected technical and business focus communities to empower innovation and collaboration, supporting business growth and investment. Our core activity identifies the critical common challenges and leads the responses to tackle them, building partnerships across industry, academia and government. Our NMI community champions the Electronics Manufacturing Industry supporting the established Semiconductor Manufacturing and supply chain communities with activities that encourage innovation, communication and collaboration. Our AESIN community is dedicated to accelerating embedded electronics and power systems innovation for both vehicle electrification and safer highly automated vehicles. Our mission is to strengthen the UK’s deep tech capabilities as a global leader of future technologies, forming adjacent connected communities that are influential in defining and shaping the advancements of industry. We aim to provide a platform to help our members strategically leverage products and services to drive profitable growth.