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EU Could Clear State Aid for Chip Production

An Intel Tiger Lake chip is displayed at an Intel news conference during the 2020 CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, US January 6, 2020. REUTERS/Steve Marcus
An Intel Tiger Lake chip is displayed at an Intel news conference during the 2020 CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, US January 6, 2020. REUTERS/Steve Marcus
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EU Could Clear State Aid for Chip Production

An Intel Tiger Lake chip is displayed at an Intel news conference during the 2020 CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, US January 6, 2020. REUTERS/Steve Marcus
An Intel Tiger Lake chip is displayed at an Intel news conference during the 2020 CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, US January 6, 2020. REUTERS/Steve Marcus

The European Union may approve potential state aid to fund new semiconductor facilities in the bloc amid a global chip shortage that is hampering its rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU's competition chief said on Thursday.

"The Commission may consider approving public support to fill possible funding gaps in the semiconductor ecosystem for the establishment in particular in Europe of first-of-its-kind facilities," Margrethe Vestager told the European Parliament.

The Commission, which oversees antitrust policy in the 27 EU countries, would seek to ensure such support was subject to strong competition safeguards and that the benefits were shared widely and without discrimination across the European economy.

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Saudi Arabia: CST, SSA Launch SpaceUp Competition to Develop Innovative Space-Based Solutions

The SpaceUp Competition targets global and local entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs through six challenge tracks
The SpaceUp Competition targets global and local entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs through six challenge tracks
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Saudi Arabia: CST, SSA Launch SpaceUp Competition to Develop Innovative Space-Based Solutions

The SpaceUp Competition targets global and local entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs through six challenge tracks
The SpaceUp Competition targets global and local entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs through six challenge tracks

The Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) and the Saudi Space Agency (SSA) have launched the global SpaceUp Competition, in partnership with Neo Space Group (NSG), which aims to promote Space entrepreneurship, support local companies specializing in Space-based solutions, attract global entrepreneurs, startups and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and encourage the adoption of Space-based solutions by entities operating across various vital sectors.
According to a CST statement issued Monday, the SpaceUp Competition targets global and local entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs through six challenge tracks to develop Space-based solutions for challenges in vital sectors by linking the supply with the demand.
The competition presents about $28 Million contractual opportunities across all competition tracks, in addition to providing direct access with end-users, localization, and connecting with end-users to implement the proposed solutions.
The statement highlighted that the competition includes six challenge tracks supporting various sectors. The first track, “Monitoring Date Palms Pest and Disease,” sponsored by the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture and the Weqaa Center, focuses on providing Space-based solutions to monitor palm farms and detect pests. The second, “Improving City Livability by Monitoring Urban Heat Islands,” by the Quality of Life Program, aims at solving the problem of rising temperatures in crowded cities. The third is “Monitoring the Impact of Infrastructure Development” by Riyadh Infrastructure Projects Center to promote infrastructure projects and traffic management.
The fourth and fifth tracks are the “Optimizing Urban Road Assets” track which aims to provide solutions to detect urban road damage and elevate its maintenance, and “Mapping of Urban Trees” which aims to monitor and maintain urban green spaces, both sponsored by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing. The sixth, “Greening Saudi Arabia,” seeks to monitor tree growth and support sustainability efforts related to the Saudi Green Initiative.
"The SpaceUp Competition extends the efforts of CST and the SSA in enhancing investment opportunities in the Saudi Space sector and stimulating research and innovation," the statement added.