A New Era in Semiconductor Manufacturing: Pragmatic Semiconductor’s Vision for a Flexible Future 

In an industry long dominated by silicon, a quiet revolution is taking shape. At DesignCon 2025, held at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Vincent Barlier, Commercial Director Foundry at Pragmatic Semiconductor, detailed his company’s groundbreaking approach to chip manufacturing—one that eliminates silicon in favor of a flexible and more sustainable alternative. 

Pragmatic Semiconductor, a U.K.-based company, has reimagined semiconductor manufacturing. Rather than traditional silicon wafers, it employs a thin-film transistor (TFT) process on a flexible substrate. The result is a technology that delivers high-density circuitry enabling the manufacture of logic circuitry with a cost-efficient process. This innovation is also energy-efficient, and significantly more sustainable than conventional silicon wafer manufacturing. 

A Unique Foundry Proposition  

“We are a foundry, but we do things differently,” Barlier explained. “Our unique process does not use silicon, which removes the need for ionic implantation and high-temperature annealing steps. We use vapour deposition, coating, and photolithography to manufacture our wafers which reduces the wafer production cycle time to days instead of months. This streamlined process allows Pragmatic’s fabs to be significantly smaller than traditional semiconductor facilities, with drastically reduced energy, water and chemical requirements.”  

Unlike traditional fabs that require billions of dollars in capital expenditure and years to construct, Pragmatic’s compact facilities can be quickly built, at a fraction of the cost, making semiconductor manufacturing more accessible and scalable. The company’s first fully operational fab in North East England – the UK’s first 300mm wafer facility – already has capacity to produce billions of chips per year, and a second facility is in development.  

Targeting the Future of Connected Devices 

While FlexICs – Pragmatic’s chips – may not be bastions of high-performance processing, they are ideally suited for low-complexity applications. The company focuses on markets that require connect, sense and compute capabilities—sectors where cost and sustainability are key factors. 

Barlier noted that Pragmatic’s chips can integrate sensing capabilities such as temperature, and wireless communication via NFC, offering a scalable solution for the growing Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem. “Because of our unique manufacturing approach, FlexICs open up a world of opportunity,” he said, “and makes it possible to embed intelligence into everyday objects at scale, at a fraction of the cost and environmental footprint of traditional solutions.” 

In a milestone achievement, Pragmatic has successfully demonstrated the world’s first 32-bit RISC-V microprocessor in a flexible technology that’s fully functional while flexed—an accomplishment that underscores the technology’s potential. While the design remains relatively large compared to silicon equivalents, further advancements could pave the way for broader adoption in microcontroller applications. 

Accelerating Innovation with Agile Manufacturing 

One of Pragmatic’s key advantages lies in its ability to rapidly prototype and manufacture custom chips. Traditional silicon development cycle is long and cost intensive, but Pragmatic’s approach challenges that paradigm. 

“With our platform, customers – such as semiconductor companies, component manufacturers and OEMs – can see their designs turned into working chips within weeks,” Barlier said. This accelerated timeline allows for an iterative design process akin to agile software development—an approach rarely seen in the semiconductor industry. 

Furthermore, Pragmatic’s platform includes design tools and a PDK (Process Design Kit), enabling customers to easily integrate their technology following conventional design flows. The company also offers a cell library that mirrors conventional silicon methodologies, reducing the learning curve for engineers transitioning from traditional chip design processes. 

A Distributed Manufacturing Model 

The company envisions a future where chip fabs are located closer to end-users, reducing supply chain risks and enabling distributed manufacturing. “Because our fabs are small and easy to set up, we can place them directly within a customer’s facility,” Barlier said. “This is particularly attractive for industries that rely on a fragile supply chain.” 

Unlike large-scale semiconductor foundries, which require significant lead times for production runs, Pragmatic’s on-site manufacturing model allows companies to produce chips on demand, minimizing supply chain disruptions. The ability to localize production is expected to be a game-changer for industries requiring high volumes of affordable chips without the logistical challenges of overseas fabrication. 

While Pragmatic has yet to confirm plans for a U.S.-based fab, demand for onshore semiconductor manufacturing could position the company as a critical player in reshaping global supply chains. The company is actively exploring strategic partnerships to expand its manufacturing footprint and increase capacity for large-scale production. 

Looking Ahead 

Pragmatic Semiconductor is now bringing its foundry services to the market aiming to directly compete with mature technology nodes. Key areas of focus include: 

• Enabling edge and item-level authentication at scale with NFC solutions 

• Bring sensing capabilities to our everyday items for a better-connected world 

Pragmatic has already forged partnerships with leading RFID manufacturers, leveraging its unique ability to produce larger, more cost-effective chips that simplify tag integration and lower manufacturing costs. 

Additionally, the company is exploring how its ultra-thin, physically flexible electronics could revolutionize industries such as consumer electronics and wearable technology. As the semiconductor industry grapples with mounting costs and environmental concerns, Pragmatic’s vision of a flexible, more sustainable future offers a compelling alternative. Whether its approach can achieve widespread adoption remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the age-old dominance of silicon is facing an unprecedented challenge.

Tags: flexible, Foundry, manufacturing, Pragmatic Semiconductor, silicon-free, sustainable

Category: Pragmatic Semiconductor

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