Silicon River Launches New Semiconductor Research Initiatives

Silicon River Bangladesh has announced two initiatives aimed at strengthening Bangladesh’s semiconductor research, innovation and workforce development capabilities: an international collaborative research centre with US-based Yield Engineering Systems (YES) and the CREST 2027 research programme involving researchers from 10 universities.

The organisation announced the initiatives in a press release issued on October 30. 

Dhaka University-Led Consortium Selected for YCRC

Silicon River Bangladesh has selected a consortium led by the University of Dhaka to lead its inaugural YES Collaborative Research Center (YCRC). The consortium includes the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), BRAC University, Islamic University Kushtia and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands.

YES, a US-based semiconductor equipment company, supports advanced chip manufacturing and packaging. The company will collaborate with the centre through its G1000 plasma processing technology.

The centre will advance semiconductor research, digital twin development and workforce training. It is also intended to establish a model for collaborative research hubs that could be developed across Bangladesh.

Silicon River expressed its appreciation to YES and its Bangladeshi-origin chief technology officer, Dr Zia Karim, for supporting the country’s semiconductor ambitions.

CREST 2027 Selects 18 Researchers for 11 Projects

The Center for Research Excellence on Semiconductor Technology (CREST), an initiative of Silicon River Bangladesh launched in 2025, is entering its next phase. A total of 18 researchers from 10 universities have been selected to work on 11 projects under the programme, scheduled to run from January to December 2027.

The participating institutions are Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), BRAC University, the University of Dhaka, American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB), Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST), North South University, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET), the University of Chittagong and International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC).

Supported by Neural Semiconductor Limited, the programme will focus on advanced memory, agentic artificial intelligence, 3D integration, RISC-V accelerators, quantum electronics and photonics.

Faculty mentorship, quarterly project reviews and engagement with Silicon River Student Branches will support the researchers and strengthen project delivery. The programme aims to build Bangladesh’s indigenous semiconductor research capabilities and nurture the next generation of innovators.

According to Silicon River key personal, Mohammad Mustafa Hossain, the initiatives go beyond individual research projects. They are intended to strengthen research capacity across universities, encourage young researchers and connect academic institutions with industry to help develop a national innovation ecosystem.

//DBTech/ MMHP/ SMP/MIST//