During his working visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, Minister of High-Tech Industry and Artificial Intelligence of the Republic of Armenia Davit Tadevosyan met with Sébastien Dauvé, Chief Executive Officer of the French research institute CEA-Leti in Munich. The meeting was also attended by Gohar Abajyan, Director of the Enterprise Armenia Foundation.

During the meeting, the sides discussed the prospects for establishing a semiconductor research and chip design institute in Armenia, its potential operational model, necessary infrastructure, and opportunities for engaging international partners.

Minister Davit Tadevosyan presented Armenia’s experience and potential in semiconductor research and chip design, emphasizing the importance of cooperating with prestigious international organizations, exchanging knowledge and expertise, as well as developing local professional capacities.

The discussion centered on the necessity of forming a complete semiconductor ecosystem that will unite research and technological development (R&D), chip design, and industry demand—ensuring collaboration among scientific-research institutions, universities, engineers, and international companies.

In the context of studying international best practices, reference was made to the example of Italy’s Chips-IT organization, which collaborates with universities. The parties also discussed the potential initial scale, organizational model, financing mechanisms, and issues related to ensuring access to necessary technological tools for a similar structure in Armenia. In particular, the importance of access to Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools essential for chip design was underscored.

Special attention was also paid to human capital development, including opportunities for specialist training, exchange programs with international research centers, expert engagement, and conducting joint research.

The sides discussed potential formats of CEA-Leti’s involvement in Armenia, including expert consultancy, specialist training, establishing connections with international partners, and joint research initiatives.

As a result of the meeting, an agreement was reached to continue discussions regarding the concept of the initiative, the preliminary operational model of the center, required resources, and potential international partnerships.