imec

Overview

imec was founded in 1984 by Roger Van Overstraeten of KU Leuven, set up as an autonomous non-profit organisation funded by the Flemish government to give Flanders a regional micro-electronics research capability. Over four decades it grew into a global node for semiconductor research, partnering with every major chip manufacturer and equipment vendor, including ASML, TSMC, Intel, Samsung, and IBM. The Leuven campus houses 300mm wafer cleanrooms, EUV lithography tooling, and a EUR 3.5 billion 300mm pilot line, with a NanoIC sub-2nm pilot line announced in 2025.

Research at imec spans semiconductor scaling toward sub-2nm logic and memory, integrated silicon photonics, AI hardware, beyond-5G connectivity, sensing and actuation, automotive chips, cryogenic and quantum computing, and life sciences applications including neuromorphic computing, biosensors, and precision medicine. The institute operates a hybrid model, conducting pre-competitive research with industry partners while spinning out independent companies and running imec.xpand, a deeptech Venture Capital arm that co-invests in spin-offs and external rounds. Between 2014 and 2023, imec generated EUR 6.98 billion in added value in Flanders. The imec.istart accelerator has produced over 300 tech startups, and the organisation has spawned more than 120 spin-offs.

imec employs around 6,500 scientists, engineers, and innovators from more than 100 countries. It operates offices and labs across Belgium, the Netherlands (OnePlanet Research Center, Holst Centre), Germany (Heilbronn), Italy (Naples), the UK (Cambridge), Spain (planned 300mm cleanroom in Malaga), the USA (Florida, Indiana, Michigan), Taiwan, China, India, and Japan. Luc Van den Hove has served as President and CEO since 2009, growing turnover from EUR 275M to over EUR 1B. In September 2025 the board announced his transition to Chairman effective 1 April 2026, with Patrick Vandenameele appointed as incoming CEO.

imec sits at the centre of European semiconductor strategy, anchoring Leuven as a global chip research capital and acting as a critical training ground for engineers, founders, and researchers across the Flemish deeptech ecosystem.

Media & appearances

• The HarbourYouTube2026-05-28
  JAN HOLLEZ - From Startup to Unicorn: The Deliverect Story with Jan HollezFormerly IBBT/iMinds, where Hollez started as a researcher on European projects and later got early incubation support and funding for Posios.
• WintercircusYouTube2026-03-10
  Bart De Wever & Prins Constantijn: Hoe bouw je een sterk, ambitieus Europees tech-ecosysteem?De Wever and Constantijn call it a world-class pearl in the global semiconductor ecosystem around which much can be built.
• WintercircusYouTube2026-03-05
  Bart De Wever in het Wintercircus: over technologie, durf en de toekomst van BelgiëDe Wever visited a new imec research facility and asked Luc Van den hove whether a European Nvidia could grow there.
• VirtualYouTube2026-01-29
  Virtual S02#18 - Cédric Van Branteghem: van marginal gains tot Olympische realiteitBOIC works with people at imec and Ghent University (Christophe De Meyer) in an expert panel to structurally embed sport technology. BOIC is talking with people at IMEC to structurally embed sport-technology expertise. Additional recording: Virtual.
• Ben's MentorsYouTube2025-12-17
  De Onzekere Toekomst van het Europees Tech EcosysteemBelgian research center called a worldwide icon, though Europe struggles to bring lab research to market.
• VirtualYouTube2025-10-29
  Virtual S02#8 - Van IQ naar intuïtie: wat drie weken met de Meta Ray-Ban Display onthullenLeuven research center developing sensors, chips and AR base technology on a 5-10 year horizon; much big tech runs on IMEC's foundational knowledge. Demanet worked there and argues most big tech runs on chip/sensor fundamentals developed by IMEC in Leuven, positioning Flanders to build European XR hardware. Additional recording: Virtual.
• VirtualYouTube2025-10-15
  Virtual S02#6 - Go Fast, Think Smart: Vlaanderen op missie in het tijdperk van artificiële intell...Diependaele stresses that Silicon Valley companies acknowledge the foundational chip technology enabling AI and the iPhone comes from IMEC in Flanders.
• VirtualYouTube2025-10-15
  Virtual S02#6 - Go Fast, Think Smart: Vlaanderen op missie in het tijdperk van AIDiependaele stresses that Silicon Valley companies acknowledge the hardware basis of AI and smartphones comes from imec's chip technology in Flanders.

Stated facts & numbers

• imec was founded as a strategic choice in 1984; VIB in the 2000s; VITO in the 80s or 90s.De CFO Podcast 2025-07-140:17:50
• Kris Mertens left his CFO role 8 years ago and has supported startups at imec.istart since 2017.De CFO Podcast 2025-04-180:00:30
• imec.istart gives a starting investment of €50K to its portfolio companies.De CFO Podcast 2025-04-180:03:03
• imec.istart can finance up to €250K, with follow-up funds available beyond that.De CFO Podcast 2025-04-180:03:03
• Megadeals' first Belgian event was in 2019; they collaborate with imec and recently held events in Ghent and Eindhoven.SuperNova 2025-09-240:51:23
• imec recently hired its 6,000th employee.SuperNova 2025-02-260:04:12
• imec.istart has invested in 340 companies; more than 80% are still active (~240 in portfolio); of the ~100 that exited the portfolio, 45 went bankrupt or ceased operations and 55-60 made an exit.SuperNova 2025-02-260:14:27
• imec.istart has produced one unicorn (Deliverect), one of five Belgian tech unicorns, plus one indirect IPO via the POSIOS founders.SuperNova 2025-02-260:15:28