Build your UK Semiconductor Company Here

• Over 20 semiconductor industry specific training sessions

• Training guided by a dedicated mentor (Advisor) selected from our pool of experienced semiconductor startup executives

• Develop a complete business plan and investor pitch deck – based on lessons learned over duration of course

• Opportunity for pitch practice to industry executives

• Attend as VIP guests at 5 industry networking events

Do you have the right start-up fit?

• Either a registered UK company, or moving to create one

• Corporate and design activity located in the UK

• Semiconductor focused

• Solving a difficult problem with a big market opportunity

• Need access to EDA tools, design IP or semiconductor foundry manufacturing

• Open to mentoring and learning how to build a great semiconductor company

• Have raised less than £1M private investment

• Want to raise pre-seed or seed investment

Why ChipStart UK and why now?

• Training developed by global experts in the semiconductor industry – tailored to the UK’s needs

• Complete supply chain of contribution from In-Kind Partners (no or very low cost)

• Mentoring by those that have gone before, SiliconCatalyst.UK’s executive advisors

• Access to UK and international investors curated by SiliconCatalyst.UK

• Pitch practice at 5 in person events to network with the semiconductor industry

• UK government funds this program for us to deliver 9 months of semiconductor startup incubation at no cost to the companies accepted

FAQs

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT ONCE THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETED?

• Our team will review your application, and one of our team will set up a phone or video call to answer your questions and to have an initial discussion about your company and technology. During this process you will be provided advice as to areas that might need improving to better articulate your proposal. An early application is therefore recommended to allow you to update your application.

• You will be invited to a one-hour virtual screening session where you will present for 15 minutes then 45 minutes of Q&A with a selection of our Advisors to help our team perform due diligence on your company.

• If your company is selected based on the due diligence, you will pitch at a Final-Screening event with our Managing Partners and highly technical industry advisors.

• If your company is selected from the Final-Screening event you will be offered admission to ChipStart UK.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO ANSWER ALL OF THE QUESTIONS IN THE APPLICATION

• For the initial screening, your answers are all we have to evaluate your application so it’s in your best interest to make your answers as comprehensive as possible.

• Even if the information is included in the pitch deck, answering the application questions completely is generally the most effective way to communicate this information to ChipStart UK.

HOW DOES CHIPSTART UK DECIDE WHICH STARTUPS TO ADMIT

• SiliconCatalyst.UK and the UK government are looking for high-quality, interesting UK Semiconductor startups that we can help, who have defendable IP that can have a good chance of making a significant impact on the world.

• In addition to technical and market potential, the key criteria are:

  • The quality of the founding team

  • Their openness to mentoring/coaching

  • What needs they have on Silicon Catalyst’s ecosystem (in-kind tools and services, advisors, investors)

DOES SILICONCATALYST.UK PROVIDE FUNDING?

• No grant funding is provided as part of incubation, however we will work with cohort members to access pre-seed and grant funding during the programme.

WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF RAISING FUNDING THAT MIGHT TAKE US OVER THE £1M LIMIT DURING THE PROGRAMME. CAN WE STILL APPLY?

• As long as at the time of joining the programme the company has raised less than £1m in funding limit you will qualify to join.  However, you should also review whether your company is more suited to the 24 months Silicon Catalyst Accelerator programme.

• By being a cohort member it is likely that this will improve your negotiating position on either the valuation or size of future rounds. 

WE ARE STILL VERY EARLY STAGE, SHOULD WE APPLY TO THIS COHORT OR WAIT UNTIL A LATER ONE?

• The ChipStart UK incubator has been specifically designed for early stage start semiconductor companies. It is these companies that we believe can benefit most from the programme.

• For later stage companies we would encourage them to apply for the 24 months accelerator programme

ALTHOUGH WE HAVE INITIAL INDICATIONS ON POTENTIAL EARLY REVENUE AND  MARKET SIZE WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF UNDERSTANDING THIS.  IS THIS A PROBLEM?

• We fully understand the difficulty of estimating market size and timing, as long as the methodology used to make your initial estimates is clear this will not be an issue.

• A key part of the course content is providing you the tools to enable you to forecast revenue in a way that is repeatable and defendable as input into your company strategy – and with potential investors.

IF WE FAIL TO WIN A PLACE ON THIS COHORT CAN WE REAPPLY FOR A LATER ONE?

• There is no problem in you re-applying. However, please note that early stage companies will remain the priority.

WHAT IS THE APPLICATION/INCUBATION PROCESS FOR CHIPSTART UK?

CHIPSTART UK INCUBATION PROCESS?

APPLICATION TIPS

A well-prepared application and a clear, thorough and concise pitch deck are critical to your success as a company. The tips below will help you provide the information that SiliconCatalyst.UK, as well as our executive advisors, needs to evaluate your company.

• Problem or opportunity statement - what is the problem or opportunity that your product can uniquely solve?

• Solution/product to be developed – what is the product you will create that will address the problem or opportunity? What is your value proposition?

• Use of semiconductors in solution, semiconductor type – will your company design a unique integrated circuit (IC) chip or is your company developing a semiconductor materials innovation that needs to design a unique integrated circuit (IC) chip to demonstrate the value of the materials innovation? What type of IC will you design (e.g. digital, analog/mixed-signal, memory, MEMS, silicon photonics, etc.). What technology node will you use (e.g. 0.18 micron, 65nm, 7nm, etc.)?

Potential market size (initially and ultimate) -what is the size of the market you will directly target, defined by TAM (Total Available Market), SAM (Serviceable Available Market), and SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market)?