AIDA CCI Strengthens Portugal - U.S. Semiconductor Collaboration Through Microelectronics Workshop and Business Mission

Semiconductor Review | Wednesday, June 24, 2026

AVEIRO, Portugal — June 19, 2026 — AIDA CCI, as the entity responsible for organizing and coordinating the internationalization activities of the Microelectronics Agenda, has strengthened the international reach of Portugal’s semiconductor ecosystem through a workshop, B2B meetings, and an inbound business mission designed to foster closer ties with the United States semiconductor industry.

Held on June 16 at PCI – Creative Science Park Aveiro Region, the workshop “Microelectronics: U.S. Market” brought together companies, research institutions, technology centers, and international experts to explore collaboration opportunities between Portugal and the United States. Organized by AIDA CCI under the framework of the Microelectronics Agenda, the initiative is part of the Agenda’s internationalization strategy and is co-funded by Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) and the European Union’s NextGenerationEU funds.

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The event showcased the Products, Processes and Services (PPS) being developed by the Agenda’s consortium partners, highlighting Portugal’s growing capabilities in semiconductor technologies and advanced microelectronics. Participants also gained insight into Florida’s semiconductor ecosystem through presentations by Jack Henkel, from the Florida High Tech Corridor, Raj Gautam Dutta, CEO of Silicon Assurance, and Brenda Prenitzer, CEO of NanoSpective.

A series of B2B meetings concluded the workshop, creating opportunities for future business partnerships, technology transfer initiatives, and collaborative R&D projects between Portuguese and American organizations.

The workshop was complemented by an inbound business mission held from June 16 to 18. Organized by AIDA CCI, the mission enabled the U.S. delegation to engage directly with partners of the Microelectronics Agenda, as well as other relevant organizations from the Portuguese technology ecosystem, including PCI – Creative Science Park Aveiro Region, Altice Labs, Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT), HFA, Henrique Fernando e Alves S.A., Amkor Technology Portugal, and the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL).

Throughout the mission, the delegation was introduced to the Products, Processes and Services (PPS) developed by the Agenda’s partners, while gaining first-hand knowledge of Portugal’s scientific, technological and industrial capabilities in microelectronics and semiconductor technologies.

According to the delegation, the visit provided a unique opportunity to experience first-hand Portugal’s innovation ecosystem while identifying potential avenues for future cooperation.

Jack Henkel, representing Florida’s innovation ecosystem, highlighted the strong collaboration between industry and research institutions as one of the country’s greatest strengths.

"One thing that really stood out to me was how much collaboration there is between private industry and public organisations and research to really push forward microelectronics and semiconductors in the region," Henkel said.

He also expressed interest in expanding connections between the two ecosystems.

"We are hoping to be able to bring new Florida and U.S. partnerships into Portugal," he added.

Raj Gautam Dutta, CEO of Silicon Assurance, emphasized the positive experience of engaging directly with Portuguese organizations and the potential for future business relationships.

"This visit exceeded my expectations. I was impressed by the capabilities of the Portuguese companies we met and I intend to return to Portugal to further explore partnership opportunities and build long-term collaborations with Portuguese organizations," Dutta said.

Brenda Prenitzer, CEO of NanoSpective, praised the breadth and maturity of Portugal’s innovation ecosystem, from startups and incubators to established industrial players.

"My experience here has been just amazing, eye-opening, educational and fun. I got to see exciting technology from education through incubation, through medium-sized to large-scale company," Prenitzer said.

She also highlighted the potential for transatlantic collaboration.

"And so I'm very excited about the possibilities, very impressed with the passion and the innovation that I saw here. And I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of partnerships and how we can move forward together in the future," she added.

Elisabete Rita, Vice President of AIDA CCI, emphasized that showcasing Portugal’s capabilities to international stakeholders is essential for accelerating the growth and internationalization of the country’s semiconductor ecosystem.

"Portugal has developed significant scientific, technological and industrial capabilities in microelectronics and semiconductors. Initiatives such as this allow us to demonstrate these strengths to international partners, creating new opportunities for collaboration, investment and business development," Rita said.

"By bringing together Portuguese organizations and key stakeholders from the United States, we aim to facilitate long-term partnerships that can help our companies expand internationally while strengthening Portugal’s position within the global semiconductor value chain."

The initiative reinforces AIDA CCI’s role in promoting the internationalization of the Microelectronics Agenda and connecting the Portuguese semiconductor ecosystem with strategic global markets.

As demand for advanced semiconductor technologies continues to accelerate worldwide, the growing engagement between Portuguese and U.S. stakeholders underscores Portugal’s ambition to strengthen its position within the global microelectronics value chain while fostering new opportunities for innovation, investment and international collaboration.

Through the workshop, B2B meetings and inbound business mission, AIDA CCI continues to play a key role in connecting Portugal’s microelectronics ecosystem with strategic international markets, fostering partnerships that can accelerate innovation, investment and growth across the semiconductor sector.

Created under the Mobilizing Agendas of Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), the Microelectronics Agenda has total eligible funding of €67 493 749,13 through NextGenerationEU and runs until June 30, 2026.

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