Open Innovation
at ST
Collaboration. ~50 startups actively engaged.
R&D investment. ~12% of our revenues in 2023.
Pivot role. 900+ technical staff.
We continuously nurture our open innovation ecosystem through a range of initiatives.
Accelerating innovation together
We actively seek out and share ideas, knowledge, and expertise with a diverse range of external stakeholders.
These include customers, partners, suppliers, academia, and startups.
By embracing open innovation, we tap into a wider pool of ideas, accelerate time-to-market for new technologies,
increase our innovation success rate, and foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
Our open innovation activities have a number of initiatives specifically designed to engage with startups.
Innovating with ST
The ST for Startups program offers numerous advantages specifically designed to benefit eligible startups. By participating in this program, startups can gain access to a range of valuable opportunities, including:
- Facilitating access to ST experts and creating a mutually beneficial learning environment.
- Bringing ST’s advanced products and technologies to startups for the development of innovative application ideas.
- Engaging startups directly with ST businesses in the development of new intellectual property (IP).
- Providing multi-project wafer (MPW) access to ST’s state-of-the-art technologies.
- Supporting startups in creating proof of concepts (PoC) to test feasibility and advance their ideas to the industrialization level, allowing access to ST's PoC centers, fab labs, and competence centers.
- Giving visibility to startups through ST’s events and communication activities.
Among our startup scouting initiatives, we organize startup challenges to discover and collaborate with the most innovative startups.
Engaging with us
ST offers a fair process for the assessment and engagement of startups, scouted through various channels. The lifecycle is the same for all chosen startups, and the key steps are illustrated below.
#1. Startup application
The startup checks the criteria and submits its request online. Discover below what ST offers to the selected startups.
#2. Assessment
- ST reviews the startup's application and assesses its potential to fit with ST's strategy.
- A legal framework guarantees the interests of both parties.
#3. Engagement & collaboration
- ST identifies an innovation manager to interface with the startup during the engagement period.
- The innovation manager can connect the startup with a worldwide team of technical staff from ST to provide support.
#4. Activity execution
Engagement is reviewed periodically throughout the lifecycle.
#5. Acceleration
A network of marketing teams from ST supports the evolution of the cooperation and helps in marketing activities.
#1. Startup application
The startup checks the criteria and submits its request online. Discover below what ST offers to the selected startups.
#2. Assessment
- ST reviews the startup's application and assesses its potential to fit with ST's strategy.
- A legal framework guarantees the interests of both parties.
#3. Engagement & collaboration
- ST identifies an innovation manager to interface with the startup during the engagement period.
- The innovation manager can connect the startup with a worldwide team of technical staff from ST to provide support.
#4. Activity execution
Engagement is reviewed periodically throughout the lifecycle.
#5. Acceleration
A network of marketing teams from ST supports the evolution of the cooperation and helps in marketing activities.
ST's offer to the selected startups
ST provides access to its technologies, tools, and talents to startups based on their needs and mutual agreements.
Technologies
ST is open to discussing participation in Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) programs for its state-of-the-art technologies, including RF CMOS, 28 nm FD-SOI, CMOS image sensors, MEMS and BCD.
Tools
For startups developing solutions that address emerging applications aligned with ST’s focus areas, we offer our comprehensive portfolio of products, evaluation boards, and device samples. ST also provides access to its fab labs and other regional labs to help startups in their industrialization stage, build their solutions, and enter the market using ST products.
Talent
An innovation manager from ST is assigned to each selected startup to guide and support its journey to success. The innovation manager has access to the entire talent pool of ST. At every stage of their R&D activities and product development, startups have access to relevant ST experts, as well as advice from specialists at the Fab Labs and regional labs.
Lab-in-Fab
Located within ST’s Ang-Mo-Kio campus in Singapore, Lab-in-Fab is a 200 mm facility created by ST and the Institute of Microelectronics (IME) in 2020. Its primary objective is to lead in micro-systems research and support customers in industrializing leading-edge sensor and actuator products. Lab-in-Fab offers startups the unique opportunity to develop advanced products using state-of-the-art R&D resources within a high-volume-capable facility, accelerating their time to volume production. By combining world-class R&D personnel, key semiconductor equipment, and access to the IME & ST development ecosystem, Lab-in-Fab provides extensive services for companies developing innovative MEMS-based products.
Our partners in innovation
ST partners with leading incubators and accelerators around the world in alignment with its strategic areas. Current engagements include:
