In Hokkaido, the location of Lapidus has led to the realization of a comprehensive base that integrates semiconductor manufacturing, research, and human resource development in Hokkaido, and various initiatives are being implemented based on the "Hokkaido Semiconductor and Digital-related Industry Promotion Vision," which aims to spread the effects of digital transformation to all industries throughout the prefecture. As a core project, Hokkaido, Sapporo City, and Chitose City jointly applied for the Local University and Regional Industry Creation Grant for the project "Realizing a Comprehensive Semiconductor Base Triggered by Next-Generation Semiconductors and Revitalizing the Regional Economy," with our university's President Kiyohiro Houkin as project manager, and the project was approved.

Project outline (draft)

• Implementing bodies: Hokkaido Prefecture, Sapporo City, Chitose City, Hokkaido University, Chitose Institute of Science and Technology
• Project period: 9 years (FY2025 to FY2033)
• Details of the project
  1. Human Resource Development
     We will establish a consistent semiconductor education system from undergraduate to graduate level at our university, and provide our human resource development program and practical training program using the "Semiconductor Prototyping Lab" to other universities and colleges of technology in Hokkaido, thereby spreading the semiconductor human resource development system throughout Hokkaido.
  2. Development of educational and research bases
     As a place for human resource development and research, we have established a "semiconductor prototyping lab" on campus equipped with a series of facilities related to design, front-end processing, back-end processing, and evaluation, and will open it to other universities, technical colleges, and companies.
     In addition, the Semiconductor Frontier Education and Research Organization will be established at the university as the headquarters.
  3. Research and Development
     Our university and Chitose Institute of Science and Technology will conduct cutting-edge research in collaboration with Rapidus and other semiconductor companies in Hokkaido, in order to improve the technological capabilities of companies and promote the creation of new industries, while also developing use cases for cutting-edge semiconductors.
  4. Building an industry-academia-government network
     Based on the needs and issues of the region and companies, we will assign coordinators to build a network of industry, academia, and government, promote the entry of companies from Hokkaido, and advance collaboration between local educational institutions and companies, thereby facilitating the formation of a semiconductor ecosystem in Hokkaido.

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