NOVASIC SA

Their core work

NOVASiC is a French SME specializing in silicon carbide (SiC) materials — specifically crystal growth, wafer processing, and epitaxial layers. They supply advanced SiC substrates and processing services that feed into power electronics, automotive, and sensor applications. Their work spans the full SiC material chain from bulk crystal growth and hetero-epitaxy on silicon to nano-scale optical devices, positioning them as a materials supplier for the European semiconductor ecosystem.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

NOVASiC began its H2020 participation focused on fundamental SiC material science — hetero-epitaxial growth techniques, bulk crystal growth, and MOSFET reliability (CHALLENGE, 2017). By 2019-2024, their work shifted toward applications: precision geophysical sensors using SiC nanostructures and, most recently, positioning within Europe's strategic SiC power semiconductor supply chain for e-mobility and green energy. The trajectory shows a clear move from upstream material R&D toward industrialization and supply chain integration.

NOVASiC is evolving from a pure materials research contributor toward a strategic supplier in Europe's push for sovereign SiC power semiconductor capacity — a politically and commercially hot area.

How they like to work

NOVASiC consistently participates as a specialist partner rather than leading consortia, contributing deep SiC materials expertise to projects coordinated by others. With 51 unique partners across 11 countries in just 3 projects, they work in large, multinational consortia — typical for a niche SME that provides a critical but specialized component. This suggests they are easy to integrate into larger teams and valued for a well-defined technical contribution.

Despite only 3 projects, NOVASiC has built a broad network of 51 partners across 11 countries, indicating involvement in large European consortia. Their base in southeastern France (Savoie region) places them near major semiconductor and materials research clusters.

What sets them apart

NOVASiC occupies a rare niche: they are one of very few European SMEs with hands-on capability in SiC substrate preparation and epitaxial processing. As Europe urgently works to reduce dependence on Asian SiC wafer suppliers, companies like NOVASiC become strategically important. For consortium builders, they bring a combination of deep materials know-how and the agility of a small specialized company — hard to find elsewhere on the continent.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CHALLENGE
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 631K) and focused on the technically demanding problem of growing cubic SiC on silicon — a potential breakthrough for cheaper power devices.
• TRANSFORM
  Directly addresses European strategic autonomy in SiC semiconductors for e-mobility and smart grids — a politically prioritized industrial topic with strong commercial implications.
• SiC nano for PicoGeo
  Unusual cross-disciplinary application: using SiC nanostructures for ultra-precise geophysical strain measurement, showing the material's versatility beyond power electronics.