The agreement connects IU researchers with one of the world’s most influential semiconductor research organizations, whose partners include many of the leading companies shaping the future of microelectronics, computing and artificial intelligence. The partnership was facilitated through IU Inc., which serves as a front door connecting IU’s researchers, students and expertise with industry partners and startups to generate new revenue opportunities, enable dynamic partnerships and accelerate commercialization.

“Partnering with an organization of imec’s stature creates tremendous opportunities for collaborative research and commercialization,” said David Rosenberg, president and CEO of IU LAB and IU Inc. “Just as importantly, it strengthens Indiana’s growing innovation ecosystem by connecting IU faculty and students to one of the world’s premier semiconductor research organizations. Together, we will advance technologies that are increasingly important to economic competitiveness, national security and scientific discovery.”

Through the partnership, imec and IU will pursue collaborative projects, beginning with research led by IU CREATE, Indiana University’s Center for Reliable and Trusted Electronics. The center has built its reputation on studying how semiconductor devices behave under stress, with a particular focus on radiation effects, a critical consideration for electronics intended to operate reliably in demanding conditions.

In the initial collaborative project, imec will contribute advanced electronic and photonic components for evaluation, while IU CREATE researchers will conduct radiation testing and analysis of the components to better understand how the underlying technologies perform in extreme environments, including those encountered in space. Findings will be shared between the organizations and are intended to support future collaborative research proposals and publications.

“This partnership brings together imec’s expertise in semiconductor innovation and IU’s strengths in trusted electronics research,” said Max Mirgoli, executive vice president and chief global development, partnerships and venturing officer at imec. “We look forward to exploring new areas of collaboration that advance scientific discovery and help address challenges facing next-generation technologies.”

University leaders framed the agreement as an alignment of institutional research strengths with state and national priorities. “Indiana University is committed to aligning our research strengths with the needs of our state and nation, particularly in critical areas like microelectronics,” said Russell J. Mumper, IU vice president for research. “This partnership with imec will combine IU’s growing expertise in reliable and trusted electronics with the capabilities of one of the world’s leading semiconductor research organizations, creating new opportunities for our faculty and students while strengthening Indiana’s innovation ecosystem and economic competitiveness.”

Daniel Loveless, executive director of IU CREATE, said the collaboration allows the center to apply its existing expertise to the most advanced technologies being developed today. “Indiana University has built significant expertise in trusted electronics and radiation effects research through IU CREATE,” he said. “Working with imec allows us to apply that expertise to some of the most advanced technologies being developed today while laying the foundation for future partnerships, research opportunities and economic impact.”

For students, the partnership is expected to create hands-on opportunities with cutting-edge hardware. Adrian Ildefonso, assistant professor of intelligent systems engineering in the IU Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering and principal investigator of one of the core labs within IU CREATE, said he is excited by the opportunities the partnership will give students to test and evaluate state-of-the-art semiconductor devices. That kind of high-impact experiential learning, he noted, is central to IU’s educational mission and to workforce development in microelectronics, because it prepares engineers who understand reliability in practice and are ready to work in a global industry.

The announcement was released as a business announcement by Indiana University on 27 October 2026. Beyond the initial radiation testing project, the two organizations say the agreement is designed to seed a longer-term relationship, with shared findings expected to feed into future joint proposals and publications as the collaboration develops.

Subject of Research: A university-industry partnership for radiation testing and trusted electronics research on advanced semiconductor components.

Article Title: Indiana University lands partnership with international semiconductor powerhouse imec

Article References: Indiana University lands partnership with international semiconductor powerhouse imec. Original publication (Bibliographic details unavailable.)

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Keywords: semiconductors, imec, Indiana University, trusted electronics, radiation effects, microelectronics, IU CREATE, research partnership, space electronics, workforce development, photonics, commercialization