Menon has mapped out the Norwegian value chain for semiconductors on behalf of Innovation Norway.

Our mapping shows that the companies in the Norwegian value chain employ around 2 000 people, and collectively generate a total value added of approximately NOK 3.6 billion. The primary area of expertise in Norway lies in chip design, particularly within low-power communications. The largest Norwegian company, Nordic Semiconductor, is a global leader in low-power Bluetooth communications, and several of the other large companies in Norway also focus on the design of low-power wireless communications.

While the speciality in Norway is the design of semiconductors, some are also manufactured in Norway. These are primarily miniaturised sensors which can sense physical phenomena such as motion, pressure, temperature, and acceleration. Sensor-chips made in Norway are used in a variety of applications, e.g., aerospace, point-of-care medicine, intravenous medicine and subsea exploration. Semiconductors made in Norway have even been sent into the solar system on board the Mars Rover.

The semiconductor industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, but we consider that the potential is still far from exhausted. With the right blend of expertise and access to capital, the industry can become an important and highly productive export-focused industry within the Norwegian economy.

In the report, we go through the different parts of the value chain, highlighting relevant academic programs and research institutions involved in the industry.

The report can be downloaded in its entirety here.