The significant achievements of Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult in 2023-24 have been outlined in its annual report, published today.
The report highlights success in the Catapult’s two focus areas — Net Zero and Future Telecoms — and its continued support for clusters of compound semiconductor expertise across the UK.
Highlights include the official opening of the Catapult’s Future Telecoms Hub in Bristol, which was supported with a further £4m of investment from Innovate UK.
The Catapult will develop enabling technologies at the Hub to help the UK establish a resilient and energy-efficient telecoms network fit for future applications.
Other highlights include the culmination of the ESCAPE project. Led by McLaren Applied, the 12-strong consortium helped to successfully establish the UK’s first complete end-to-end supply chain for silicon carbide power electronics.
The project developed state-of-the-art converter and inverter technologies for the transportation sector, and has led to new job creation, new collaborative R&D agreements and secured significant investment for the South Wales region.
The report also outlines the significant impact of the Catapult to date, including:
- The creation or safeguarding of 4,718 jobs
- £589m of public and private investment leveraged by customers
- 261 industrial collaborations
- £11.2m of funding received from collaborative R&D projects
The report also evidences the Catapult’s impact on SMEs and their ability to attract public and private investment.
On average, since engaging with CSA Catapult, companies leveraged £82.9m of annual private investment and £33.7m of annual public sector investment. This is compared to a counterfactual group, who averaged £17.6m of annual private investment and £9.3m of public sector investment.
