From 16 to 20 March 2026, the Embassy of Canada in France is organising a Canada–France semiconductor partnering mission, bringing a delegation of innovative Canadian SMEs to France to explore collaboration opportunities with the French semiconductor ecosystem.
The mission will begin on 16 March at the Embassy of Canada in Paris with a networking session bringing together stakeholders from industry, research and innovation. During this session, Shéhérazade Azizi, Senion Xecs Programme Manager, will introduce the Xecs, highlighting opportunities for international collaborative R&D projects within the Eureka framework.
Alain Jarre, former CEO of Recif Technologies and consultant supporting the mission, will present an overview of the French semiconductor research and industry ecosystem. Alain Jarre has been closely involved in preparing the mission, working with Canadian partners since its early stages, including supporting the selection of the Canadian SMEs participating in the delegation.
The morning programme will also feature presentations on Eureka collaboration mechanisms in France and Canada by Bpifrance and the National Research Council Canada – Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), providing insights into funding opportunities for international R&D cooperation.
A week of ecosystem engagement
Beyond the Paris event, the Canadian delegation will participate in a series of activities designed to connect them with key actors of the French semiconductor ecosystem. On 17–18 March, the delegation will travel to Grenoble to participate in the Minalogic Business Meetings, a major international event dedicated to digital technologies and microelectronics innovation. The programme will also include visits to CEA-Leti and STMicroelectronics, two leading organisations in the global semiconductor landscape, members of AENEAS Industry Association.
The mission will then continue in the Paris-Saclay innovation hub, where the delegation will visit III-V Lab—a joint research laboratory and AENEAS member—and meet stakeholders from the Systematic Paris-Region cluster, another key French deep-tech competitiveness cluster.
The programme will conclude with B2B meetings at the Institut d’Optique in Saclay and a networking reception at the Canadian Official Residence, offering further opportunities for exchanges between Canadian and French stakeholders.
Encouraging new international innovation partnerships
The mission highlights the growing importance of international cooperation in semiconductor innovation, bringing together companies, research organisations and technology clusters from both sides of the Atlantic.
As an Eureka Cluster operated by AENEAS, Xecs actively supports such collaborations, enabling organisations from Europe and partner countries such as Canada to develop joint R&D projects addressing future challenges in electronic components and systems.
