CSconnected Ltd Announces Successful Applicants to Fourth and Final £1 Million Supply Chain Development Programme Call
07th August 2026
CSconnected Ltd has announced the successful applicants to the fourth and final funding call of its £1 million Supply Chain Development Programme, delivered in partnership with Cardiff Capital Region (CCR). The programme provides grants of up to £100,000 to help strengthen the compound semiconductor supply chain in South Wales by supporting capability and capacity development, increasing productivity, competitiveness and creating new commercial opportunities.
The Supply Chain Development Programme was established to support strategic partnerships between semiconductor companies and their suppliers and customers, helping businesses develop new technologies, invest in advanced manufacturing capability and bring competitive products and services to market. The programme focuses on enhancing the capabilities and competitiveness of businesses across the supply chain and supporting the continued growth of South Wales' world-leading compound semiconductor cluster delivering long-term economic benefits through increased competitiveness, job creation and supply chain resilience.
The five successful projects funded through Call 4 highlight the market-driven capability development taking place across the UK compound semiconductor ecosystem and its supply chain. The projects span photonics, RF and power technologies for advanced manufacturing, semiconductor process development and space applications.
The successful applicants, supported by CSconnected Ltd from application through to delivery, are:
NetZero Semiconductors Ltd – TiFLiNS (Development of a South Wales Thin Film Lithium Niobate Supply Chain)
“The project will establish an initial manufacturing process using proprietary bonding techniques to deliver a range of Thin Film Lithium Niobate (TFLN) wafer solutions that will provide a technology platform to enable Photonic Integrated Circuit solutions for applications in AI connectivity, hyperscale datacentre infrastructure and Quantum technologies.”
Ammbro Technologies Ltd – 200mm Electrochemical Etch Tool
“In collaboration with Swansea University, Ammbro Technologies Ltd plan to install a custom 200mm electrochemical etch tool within the £50M Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials (CISM). The ability to modify silicon and compound semiconductor wafers via electrochemical etching will support innovation and market differentiation within the South Wales Semiconductor Cluster.”
KuasaSemi Ltd – SPRINT (Small-signal Power & RF Analysis in TCAD)
“This project will add validated small-signal analysis to KuasaSemi’s Aquarius TCAD platform, using sinusoidal steady-state analysis, supporting both RF and power semiconductor devices. The capability enables physics-based extraction of RF parameters; bias-dependent capacitances and gate charge for GaN and SiC devices, thus strengthening the South Wales compound semiconductor supply chain.”
AMF Precision Engineering Ltd – UHV Precision Cleaning Capability Enhancement
“This project will enhance AMF Precision Engineering's specialist cleaning capabilities to meet the demands of evolving and next generation semiconductor products. Through investment in advanced cleaning and inspection equipment, the project will establish an Ultra High Vacuum (UHV) process capability to benefit the CSconnected cluster and the wider UK semiconductor supply chain.”
Lightricity Ltd – Automated Assembly and Encapsulation of Space Solar Cells
“This project will drive UK space solar cell production, increasing compound semiconductor epiwafer manufacture within the cluster. Lightricity will develop and implement automated post-processing cell assembly, addressing customer capability gaps. This will increase throughput and reduce costs for more attractive commercial offerings in a very supply-constrained space solar market.”
Hazel Hung, Business Development Manager at CSconnected Ltd, said:
"The projects supported through this fourth and final funding call demonstrate the breadth of specialised expertise and capability within the UK's compound semiconductor supply chain and the value of connecting South Wales with complementary capabilities from across the UK. These investments will strengthen regional supply chains, create new commercial opportunities and reinforce South Wales' position as a globally competitive location for compound semiconductor innovation.
The completion of Call 4 marks the conclusion of the £1 million Supply Chain Development Programme. Across four funding calls, the programme supports 11 projects focused on developing capabilities and capacity across the compound semiconductor ecosystem. From specialist manufacturing equipment and production processes to technology platforms and advanced engineering capabilities, the programme has helped strengthen the competitiveness of businesses across the supply chain and enhance the sector's ability to support future growth.
Through its partnership with Cardiff Capital Region, CSconnected Ltd continues to support the long-term growth of the South Wales compound semiconductor sector, driving collaboration between industry, academia and the wider supply chain, helping businesses innovate and scale up.
Notes to editors:
Contact
Nina Stevens
ninastevens@csconnected.com
About CSconnected Ltd
CSconnected Ltd is the not-for-profit organisation that convenes and scales the world's first compound semiconductor cluster, based in South Wales, UK. CSconnected Ltd brings together industry, academia and government across the region to build talent pipelines, expand the local supply chain, and support the sector's growth.
