The University of Southampton has announced a new partnership in advanced manufacturing.

The university is teaming up with Siemens to accelerate innovation in micro and nano-scale semiconductor technologies, working through its new MICROCRAFT platform alongside Siemens' Cre8Ventures programme.

The collaboration will support the design, testing, and building of next-generation Micro and Nano Electromechanical Systems (MEMS and NEMS) -- miniature sensors and devices underpinning modern technology.

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Researcher working in the Zepler Cleanrooms at the University of Southampton. (Image: University of Southampton)

Dr Ibrahim Sari, founder of MICROCRAFT, said: "This partnership is a game-changer for the UK's semiconductor ambitions.

"By combining MICROCRAFT's world-class fabrication platform with Siemens' industry-leading digital twin technology, we are creating a unique pathway that bridges the gap between academic research and industrial commercialisation.

"We are empowering students, researchers, and industrial partners to design, build, and validate the technologies of the future, right here in the UK."

MICROCRAFT, led by Southampton in collaboration with the University of Bristol, offers open-access prototyping, design support, and skills training from the Zepler Cleanrooms, one of Europe's most advanced fabrication environments.

Siemens' Cre8Ventures will help innovators model, test, and validate their designs virtually through its digital twin technology before production, saving time and cost.

The partnership aims to demonstrate new applications, such as a first-of-its-kind UK-made dual use drone using MICROCRAFT devices tested using Siemens' virtual workflows.

Start-ups will benefit from access to MICROCRAFT's fabrication expertise and Siemens' industry-grade validation tools and networks.

The collaboration also aims to establish a reciprocal innovation pipeline between UK manufacturing and Europe's digital innovation ecosystem.

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Carson Bradbury, co-founder of Siemens Cre8Ventures, said: "Accelerating the path to value for deep tech startups is the core mission of Cre8Ventures.

"The semiconductor industry is built on collaboration, and this alliance with the University of Southampton is a perfect example.

"By validating complex MEMS and NEMS designs in our virtual environment before they are fabricated by MICROCRAFT, we can help innovators save critical time and capital.

"Together, we are de-risking innovation and building a resilient, sovereign, and competitive semiconductor ecosystem in Europe."

The initiative supports the UK's National Semiconductor Strategy and the EU Chips Act, both of which emphasise the need for sovereign semiconductor design and manufacturing capabilities.