SUSS Partners with Ignite Next to Boost Semiconductor Innovation

SUSS, a prominent manufacturer of equipment and process solutions for the semiconductor industry, has announced a strategic partnership with Ignite Next. This collaboration aims to expand SUSS’s innovation ecosystem by connecting it with European deep-tech startups and leading innovators. The partnership, effective October 13, 2026, positions SUSS as the semiconductor equipment and process technology partner for the Ignite Next platform.

Ignite Next is a European deep-tech platform designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of breakthrough technologies. The platform connects industry leaders, startups, investors, and research institutions, with a particular focus on IP-intensive innovations in fields such as semiconductors, physical AI, and advanced computing. Ignite Next works with major technology companies, including Infineon, Intel, and Synopsys, to provide startups with technical and business expertise.

Bridging Industry Leadership and Emerging Innovation

The partnership with Ignite Next complements SUSS’s existing innovation strategy, which relies on close collaboration with customers, research partners, and its global R&D organization. By joining the Ignite Next platform, SUSS will gain early visibility into next-generation semiconductor technologies and strategic growth opportunities that extend beyond its current Ambition 2030 roadmap. This access will facilitate the early identification of evolving customer needs, new application areas, and strategic growth opportunities.

Burkhardt Frick, CEO of SUSS, emphasized the importance of this collaboration. “Our customers, research partners and R&D teams remain at the core of our innovation strategy,” Frick stated. “Ignite Next complements this foundation by connecting us with leading startups, technology companies and investors. As the ecosystem’s semiconductor equipment partner, we gain exposure to emerging developments beyond our traditional networks, enabling us to anticipate future market requirements, evaluate new application fields and strengthen our long-term strategic positioning.”

As part of the agreement, SUSS will actively participate in technology scouting, startup evaluations, expert exchanges, and various innovation programs within the Ignite Next ecosystem. These activities are designed to create opportunities for assessing future collaborations, exploring new application areas, and evaluating emerging business opportunities that align with SUSS’s long-term objectives. Concurrently, SUSS will contribute its expertise in semiconductor manufacturing and process engineering to support the industrialization and commercialization of promising new solutions developed by startups.

Accelerating Deep-Tech Ventures

Markus Bohl, Co-Founder and CEO of Ignite Next, highlighted the synergy between SUSS and the startups on the platform. “Every breakthrough innovation starts as an idea in a founder’s lab,“ Bohl said. “but it only changes the world once it can be built at scale. Ignite Next, as the scale-up program of the boOst Startup Factory, brings founders, technology leaders and investors together in one network, from chip design to manufacturing. SUSS helps our founders make the leap from lab to fab, and in return gains a front-row seat to the technologies that will shape the industry’s next decade. Together, we turn Europe’s boldest ideas into the silicon the world will run on.“

This structured connection to the global deep-tech ecosystem is expected to create additional strategic options for SUSS, extending beyond its current growth roadmap. The partnership broadens the company’s perspective on future market developments and enhances its capability to identify opportunities that may become relevant beyond 2030. SUSS, headquartered in Garching, Germany, recently reported sales of approximately €500 million and operates production sites in Germany and Taiwan, with development centers across Europe, Asia, and the US.

Ignite Next, headquartered in Dresden, Germany, is described as Europe’s scale-up program for deep tech innovation. It was founded by the former Intel Ignite leadership team and operates independently. The program is non-dilutive and founder-first, aiming to accelerate early-stage, high-impact startups in semiconductors, physical AI, advanced computing, and other frontier domains. The partnership signifies a move by SUSS to proactively engage with and influence the future landscape of semiconductor technology through early-stage innovation.

The collaboration is a strategic step for SUSS to maintain its leadership in the semiconductor equipment market by fostering innovation and gaining insights into emerging technologies. This proactive approach is crucial in an industry that is constantly evolving, with advancements in areas like AI and advanced computing driving demand for more sophisticated semiconductor solutions. By embedding itself within the deep-tech startup ecosystem, SUSS aims to secure its future growth and contribute to the development of groundbreaking technologies.