A high-level semiconductor partnership mission between Canada and France is scheduled for March 16–20, 2026. Organized by the Embassy of Canada in France, the event will bring a delegation of Canadian semiconductor SMEs to explore technological, industrial, and research collaborations within the French ecosystem.

The program begins in Paris on March 16 at the Canadian Embassy with a networking session for semiconductor stakeholders. Shéhérazade Azizi of AENEAS will introduce the Xecs Cluster and the AENEAS ecosystem, highlighting collaboration opportunities through the Eureka framework and Xecs program. Alain Jarre, former CEO of Recif Technologies and a mission consultant, will provide an overview of France's semiconductor research and industry landscape, having assisted in selecting the Canadian SME delegation. The morning will also feature presentations on Eureka funding mechanisms by Bpifrance (France) and NRC-IRAP (Canada), followed by pitches from the visiting Canadian companies.

From March 17–18, the delegation will travel to Grenoble to participate in the Minalogic Business Meetings, a key European event for digital and microelectronics innovation. Site visits are planned to major ecosystem players CEA-Leti and STMicroelectronics. The mission then returns to the Paris-Saclay area to visit III-V Lab, a joint research laboratory and AENEAS member, and to meet with representatives from the Systematic Paris-Region deep-tech cluster.

The program concludes on March 19 with B2B meetings at the Institut d’Optique in Saclay and a networking reception at the Canadian Official Residence, connecting the Canadian delegation with French ecosystem members. French stakeholders interested in engaging with the delegation can schedule B2B meetings via a dedicated platform for the March 19 session.

The mission aims to strengthen Franco-Canadian semiconductor cooperation, foster new R&D collaborations, and create industrial partnership opportunities. AENEAS, actively supporting international collaboration, encourages more French companies, research organizations, and universities to engage in such initiatives and join its community to bolster innovation partnerships in Europe and globally.

Canada–France semiconductor partnering mission will take place from 16 to 20 March 2026, organized by the Embassy of Canada in France. The mission will bring a delegation of Canadian semiconductor SMEs to France to explore technological, industrial and research collaborations with the French ecosystem.

Programme Highlights

The programme will begin on 16 March at the Embassy of Canada in Paris with a networking session gathering stakeholders from the semiconductor community. During this session, Shéhérazade Azizi (AENEAS) will introduce the Xecs Cluster and the AENEAS ecosystem, presenting opportunities for collaboration through the Eureka framework and the Xecs programme. Alain Jarre, former CEO of Recif Technologies and consultant supporting the mission since its preparation phase, will provide an overview of the French semiconductor research and industry ecosystem. Alain Jarre has worked closely with the Canadian partners from the early stages of the mission, including supporting the selection of the Canadian SMEs participating in the delegation.

The morning session will also feature presentations on Eureka funding mechanisms in France and Canada by Bpifrance and NRC-IRAP, as well as pitch presentations from the visiting Canadian companies.

A week of ecosystem visits and industry exchanges

Following the Paris event, the delegation will continue its mission across France with a series of ecosystem visits and networking activities. On 17–18 March, the group will travel to Grenoble to participate in the Minalogic Business Meetings, one of Europe’s key events for digital and microelectronics innovation. The programme also includes visits to CEA-Leti and STMicroelectronics, two major actors of the French semiconductor ecosystem.

The mission will then return to the Paris-Saclay area, where the delegation will visit III-V Lab—a joint research laboratory and AENEAS member—as well as meet actors from the Systematic Paris-Region cluster, another major French competitiveness cluster in deep-tech and digital innovation.

The programme will conclude with B2B meetings at the Institut d’Optique in Saclay and a networking reception at the Canadian Official Residence, bringing together the Canadian delegation and members of the French semiconductor ecosystem.

Overall, the mission aims to strengthen cooperation between the French and Canadian semiconductor ecosystems, foster new R&D collaborations, and create opportunities for industrial partnerships and joint innovation projects.

French stakeholders interested in engaging with the Canadian delegation can also schedule B2B meetings through the dedicated networking platform, notably for the sessions taking place on 19 March at the Institut d’Optique (Saclay).

AENEAS actively supports international collaboration in the semiconductor ecosystem and encourages more French companies, research organisations and universities to engage in such initiatives and join the AENEAS community to further strengthen innovation partnerships in Europe and beyond.

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