So far it has raised €60 million and it it is targetting €120 million. Investors include investment agencies of the Flemish and Federal government, the universities KU Leuven and UGent, BNP Paribas Fortis, and the investment arms of Samsung and Applied Materials.

Imec.xpand says it aims to give investors  ‘a first-look at the technologies that will give them a competitive edge’, adding that its first priority is to make a profit for investors.

Imec.xpand says it is targetting ‘smart applications for a sustainable society such as smart health, smart mobility, smart cities, smart industries or smart energy’.

Imec.xpand is looking both inside and outside Imec for investment opportunities, but a criterion for selecting investments is that Imec can add value to them via its own expertise and facilities.