Spain is trying to strengthen its capacity in research and development of this type of technology, within a European strategy to try to become independent from third parties and progress in the design, manufacture and packaging of advanced chips, which are essential components for all the processes of the global technology industry.

In the case of the Valencian Community, its potential is focused on the design of photonic and microelectronic microchips. The design phase concentrates 50% of the entire value process, as well as 53% of all R&D in an intensely technological sector.

Martorell has visited Valencia for the second time to find out details of the Valencian proposal and the projects that could fit into the PERTE. In his agenda he has included institutional and industrial meetings; this is the case of multinational companies based in Valencia and specialised in microchip design, such as MaxLinear, Analog Devices, ams Osram, Bosch, VLC Photonics or Ipronics.

The third pillar of the VaSIC project is formed by the University of Valencia and the Polytechnic University of Valencia, essential for generating, attracting and retaining talent through specialised training in centres of reference such as the ICMol, whose director is Professor Eugenio Coronado. The UV has a great training capacity and talent attraction through interuniversity postgraduate and doctoral programs in nanoscience and nanotechnology, and advanced physics. Its objective is to train highly qualified profiles in these areas.

During his visit to the ICMol, Martorell was accompanied by Guillermo Gómez, area coordinator of the cabinet of the Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructures, and the general director of Industry of the Valencian Government, Silvia Cerdá. In the centre he was received by the researcher Guillermo Mínguez, leader of the Crystal Engineering Lab (CEL) group; the manager of the ICMol, Ruth Manzanares, and the head of the Innovation and Transfer area, Manuel Quesada.