On the tenth anniversary of CSconnected, industry leaders say the world’s first compound semiconductor cluster has transformed South Wales’ economy and placed Wales firmly on the global technology map.
The cluster was the first of its kind anywhere in the world. Over the past decade it has developed into a fully integrated ecosystem linking university research, innovation and advanced manufacturing, and has positioned South Wales as a leading contributor to the UK’s high-value manufacturing economy.
Speaking on the CSconnected podcast, Dr Drew Nelson, who helped to establish the cluster, said its purpose was to close the gap between world-class university research and commercialisation.
He described the idea as an “engine of collaboration” designed to create economic value and skilled employment by turning research into production.
Drew said that spirit of partnership had brought tangible results, with Wales now recognised globally for semiconductor production and research and for the careers it supports across the region.
That collaborative model, he added, had also helped overcome a long-standing challenge in the UK’s innovation system – the difficulty of moving from laboratory research to large-scale manufacturing.
By aligning companies such as IQE, Vishay, KLA and Microchip with Cardiff and Swansea Universities and the Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult in Newport, the cluster has created an end-to-end supply chain rarely found in one location.
Professor Wyn Meredith, Chair of CSconnected and founding Director of the Compound Semiconductor Centre, said the first phase of the cluster’s development focused on building the right infrastructure, securing more than £200 million of investment in research and innovation facilities across South Wales. A second phase, through the UK Government’s Strength in Places programme, brought industrial and academic partners together to turn that capability into commercial impact.
He said the real strength of the cluster lay in its unity of purpose, with the network acting as a single community with a coherent message and shared ambition. Wyn said maintaining that sense of cohesion would be essential as the cluster expands into new markets and technologies.
For Chris Meadows, CSconnected’s founding Director, the past decade has been defined by the recognition the cluster has achieved both nationally and internationally. He said the cluster had become a focal point for the UK’s semiconductor sector, often called upon by government for insight and policy input. Internationally, South Wales is now known worldwide as a place where semiconductors are designed and manufactured – a shift he described as a “measure of how far the region has come”.
Chris said the next challenge lies in changing perceptions at home. Despite the sector’s export success, he said manufacturing in the UK is still too often seen as a thing of the past. CSconnected’s outreach work with schools and colleges is intended to counter that view and to encourage more young people, particularly girls, to see opportunities in science and engineering.
Cardiff Capital Region Chief Executive Kellie Beirne said the impact of the sector can now be seen across the region. She pointed to the transformation of a building at Imperial Park in Newport into a world-class manufacturing facility. Kellie said the site, now operated by IQE, is home to hundreds of highly skilled jobs and demonstrated how strategic investment can deliver long-term change.
She added that the benefits extend well beyond the main industrial corridor, with supply-chain companies across the Valleys contributing to the sector’s growth.
Listen to the CSconnected podcast here.
