A new report, published today by the Welsh Economy Research Unit at Cardiff University, highlights the economic contribution of Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult.
The report shows that employment safeguarded or created through R&D projects with CSA Catapult has contributed over £600m of gross value added (GVA) to the UK economy.
Supporting UK industry
The report confirms the breadth of CSA Catapult’s R&D activity across the UK and its economic contribution to the compound semiconductor cluster in South Wales.
Key findings between 2019-23 include:
- 4,718 jobs created or safeguarded by CSA Catapult projects
- CSA Catapult supported 156 R&D projects and worked with 215 SMEs and 40 large organisations
- That £15m of external R&D funding received by CSA Catapult generates a long-term benefit to UK productivity of between £56m and £86m
CSA Catapult is the UK’s authority on compound semiconductor applications and commercialisation.
CSA Catapult helps deliver long-term benefit to the UK economy and accelerate UK economic growth in industries where applying compound semiconductors creates a competitive advantage and enables new products or end markets.
Support for the South Wales semiconductor cluster
CSA Catapult forms an important part of the compound semiconductor cluster in Wales. The cluster as a whole has seen its gross value added (GVA) more than doubled in the period since 2019 and currently employs close to 1,800 people in well paid and highly skilled activity.
Through 20 R&D collaborations involving every public and private organisation within the cluster, CSA Catapult has helped to create or safeguard an estimated 650 jobs.
CSA Catapult’s role in technology acceleration for UK industry
The average improvement in technology readiness level (TRL) in the 81 projects that the Catapult was involved in, where the data is available, was 1.8.
TRL is a measurement to assess the maturity level of a particular technology. Of these 81 projects, 6 projects increased TRL levels by 4 or above.
