TOWER SEMICONDUCTOR LTD

Their core work

Tower Semiconductor (also known as TowerJazz) is an Israeli specialty semiconductor foundry that manufactures analog-intensive mixed-signal chips across a range of process technologies, including RF, power management, and specialty CMOS. In H2020 projects, they brought industrial-scale semiconductor fabrication expertise: first contributing to heterogeneous magnetic process integration (GREAT), then to AI-driven metrology and quality control in semiconductor manufacturing lines (MADEin4). Their H2020 role was that of an end-user and industrial validator — a real fab providing the test bed and manufacturing context that academic or SME partners lack. For potential collaborators, they represent direct access to a functioning wafer fabrication environment.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the first H2020 project (GREAT, 2016–2019), Tower's contribution was grounded in materials and process integration — specifically heterogeneous magnetic technology embedded in a semiconductor stack, a hard engineering challenge with no keywords pointing toward software or data. By the second project (MADEin4, 2019–2022), the focus shifted decisively toward digitization: metrology, AI-assisted inspection, process control, and cyber-physical systems for the electronics manufacturing sector. This is a meaningful shift from "how do we build better chips" toward "how do we make the fab itself smarter and more measurable."

Tower Semiconductor appears to be moving toward smart manufacturing and AI-assisted quality control within semiconductor fabs — making them a relevant industrial partner for any consortium targeting Industry 4.0 applications in high-precision electronics production.

How they like to work

Tower Semiconductor has participated in all H2020 projects as a consortium member, never as coordinator — consistent with the role of a large industrial company that validates research in real manufacturing conditions rather than leading research agendas. With 55 unique partners across 10 countries from just two projects, they operate in large, multi-stakeholder consortia typical of RIA and IA instruments. This suggests they are comfortable as an industrial anchor in diverse European research partnerships.

Tower has built a surprisingly broad network for a two-project participant: 55 unique consortium partners spanning 10 countries, likely including European research institutes, equipment vendors, and ECS (electronics component and systems) industry players. Given that both projects were in the digital/ICT pillar, their network is concentrated in the European semiconductor and advanced electronics ecosystem.

What sets them apart

Tower Semiconductor is one of very few non-European, non-academic H2020 participants operating an actual high-volume semiconductor wafer fab — this is rare in EU research consortia and gives them credibility as an industrial validator that no university or SME can replicate. Their specialty foundry model (analog, RF, power) fills a gap that pure digital or academic partners cannot address. For consortia needing real fab access, manufacturing data, or process-level validation in semiconductor contexts, Tower is a distinctive and hard-to-replace partner.

Highlights from their portfolio

• GREAT
  Highest-funded project (€994,808 EC contribution) targeting a technically narrow challenge — embedding magnetic functionality into a standardized semiconductor process stack — placing Tower at the intersection of materials science and advanced fab engineering.
• MADEin4
  Represents Tower's pivot into Industry 4.0 territory, applying AI and metrology to semiconductor manufacturing lines — signals the company's strategic interest in smart-fab capabilities beyond pure process expertise.