GATE aims to establish a “BiG DAta for SmarT SociEty” Center of Excellence in Bulgaria, in order to provide focus for increased scientific excellence and sustained Big Data growth, through attractive and stimulating research environment, advanced infrastructure supporting open innovation and vibrant ecosystem to enable responsive research and innovation. GATE Center of Excellence will be fully autonomous and purpose-built institute, established as a joint initiative between Sofia University - the most prestigious educational and scientific hub in Bulgaria, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden - outstanding European institution with extensive experience in research, education and innovation in Big Data area and Foundation Chalmers Industrial Technology, Sweden – a leader in innovation management, university-industry collaboration and technology transfer. GATE is a timely initiative that is fully exploiting the opportunities created by the innovation ecosystem boost and the Big Data market pull in Bulgaria, the Artificial Intelligence technological push in Sweden and the EU and global research and development urge for Big Data. The CoE will deliver economic and societal benefits through training data professionals and fostering closer collaboration between academia, government and industry, thus helping Bulgarian organisations and industry in various sectors to become, and remain, competitive. Being the only Big Data CoE to be established in Eastern Europe, GATE will bridge the gap between the 55 centres in Western Europe and Eastern Europe and will play a strategic role for disseminating the best practices and innovative models to the widening countries.

This proposal describes the third core project of the Graphene Flagship. It forms the fourth phase of the FET flagship and is characterized by a continued transition towards higher technology readiness levels, without jeopardizing our strong commitment to fundamental research. Compared to the second core project, this phase includes a substantial increase in the market-motivated technological spearhead projects, which account for about 30% of the overall budget. The broader fundamental and applied research themes are pursued by 15 work packages and supported by four work packages on innovation, industrialization, dissemination and management. The consortium that is involved in this project includes over 150 academic and industrial partners in over 20 European countries.

The 2D Experimental Pilot Line (2D-EPL) project will establish a European ecosystem for prototype production of Graphene and Related Materials (GRM) based electronics, photonics and sensors. The project will cover the whole value chain including tool manufacturers, chemical and material providers and pilot lines to offer prototyping services to companies, research centers and academics. The 2D-EPL targets to the adoption of GRM integration by commercial semiconductor foundries and integrated device manufacturers through technology transfer and licensing. The project is built on two pillars. In Pillar 1, the 2D-EPL will offer prototyping services for 150 and 200 mm wafers, based on the current state of the art graphene device manufacturing and integration techniques. This will ensure external users and customers are served by the 2D-EPL early in the project and guarantees the inclusion of their input in the development of the final processes by providing the specifications on required device layouts, materials and device performances. In Pillar 2, the consortium will develop a fully automated process flow on 200 and 300 mm wafers, including the growth and vacuum transfer of single crystalline graphene and TMDCs. The knowledge gained in Pillar 2 will be transferred to Pillar 1 to continuously improve the baseline process provided by the 2D-EPL. To ensure sustainability of the 2D-EPL service after the project duration, integration with EUROPRACTICE consortium will be prepared. It provides for the European actors a platform to develop smart integrated systems, from advanced prototype design to small volume production. In addition, for the efficiency of the industrial exploitation, an Industrial Advisory Board consisting mainly of leading European semiconductor manufacturers and foundries will closely track and advise the progress of the 2D-EPL. This approach will enable European players to take the lead in this emerging field of technology.