BSC Spinoff to Secure Chips for Critical Infrastructure

The Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) have launched Safe and Secure Technologies, a spinoff focused on designing secure chips for critical infrast... Read original →

The BSC-UPC spinoff isn’t just another fabless startup—it’s a tactical execution of EU technological sovereignty. By anchoring its 'Safety Island' on RISC-V, it forces European research stacks like De-RISC and SELENE into commercial viability, pressuring EDA vendors to prioritize open-ISA support and eroding ARM/x86 dominance in critical systems. While avoiding U.S. export controls, reliance on foundries in Taiwan, China exposes latent supply chain vulnerabilities, compelling dual-sourcing strategies. Against incumbents like Infineon and STMicroelectronics, its edge lies in quantum-ready cryptography and real-time anomaly detection—key for power grids and transport infrastructure. Within 12–24 months, expect EU Chips Act funding to pivot toward safety-critical IP, with supercomputing centers increasingly acting as hard-tech incubators, redefining Europe’s semiconductor innovation model.