As global demand for AI hardware and advanced technologies continues to grow, the UK semiconductor sector has a significant opportunity to scale. In June, as part of the Government’s AI Hardware Plan, we announced our transition from Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult to become the Semiconductor Catapult.

The timing is significant. According to the UK’s National Energy System Operator, data centres consumed 7.6 TWh of electricity in 2024, accounting for around 2% of total UK demand. By 2035, this is projected to rise to between 20 and 41 TWh, driven largely by AI computing workloads.

We work with start-ups, SMEs, large organisations and academia to de-risk commercialisation and industrialisation, remove barriers to market and accelerate semiconductor innovation. Today, we have unique expertise, facilities and partnerships across advanced packaging, power electronics, photonics, RF technologies, quantum, test, validation and system integration.

As the Semiconductor Catapult, we will provide end-to-end support for commercialisation, helping organisations move from concept to market through multidisciplinary co-design, integration and product development. We will work across the semiconductor supply chain, leveraging existing UK assets and bringing together capabilities in RF and microwave, photonics, power electronics, quantum and advanced packaging through our UK-wide centres of excellence.

Our products and services are designed to:

• Reduce risk and cost, strengthen supply chains and accelerate time to market.
• Support the development, integration and commercialisation of semiconductor technologies in the UK.
• Enable collaboration between UK, European and international partners through co-located expertise and facilities.

The need for these capabilities has never been greater. Traditional data centres were designed around rack power densities of 5-15 kW, while today’s AI systems commonly operate at 50-120 kW per rack. Future AI infrastructure could require up to 600 kW per rack, placing unprecedented demands on power electronics, thermal management and energy systems.

Our commercial offering includes the Double Pulse Testing (DPT) service that takes the latest research and applies it to real world testing. Designed to meet the demands of rapidly evolving AI, data centre and power electronics architectures, it enables companies to accurately characterise and validate advanced semiconductor devices, accelerating development cycles, improving modelling accuracy and reducing technical risk.

By helping organisations develop more efficient power electronic systems, the service supports the next generation of AI infrastructure and energy-efficient data centres. As AI adoption accelerates, innovation across semiconductors, packaging, power electronics and system integration will be critical to delivering the performance and efficiency needed to support future growth. Through the Semiconductor Catapult, we are helping UK companies develop, scale and commercialise the technologies underpinning the next generation of AI and digital infrastructure.

To book an assessment of your testing needs or learn more about our Double Pulse Testing capability, contact David Macdonald at david.macdonald@csa.catapult.org.uk