CSconnected announces last round of £1M supply chain call
CSconnected has launched the fourth and final round of its £1 million Supply Chain Development Programme, offering UK businesses grants of up to £100,000 to accelerate innovation in the compound semiconductor sector.
Delivered with Cardiff Capital Region, the fund supports projects that strengthen supply chain resilience, expand production capability, and drive job creation across South Wales and the wider UK. Micro companies can access up to 70 percent intervention on smaller grants.
With the deadline set for 17 April 2026, this is the last opportunity for companies to engage with the world’s first compound semiconductor cluster and secure funding to build strategic partnerships.
For this fourth funding call, CSconnected is encouraging applications from companies based in and around South Wales, as well as organisations across the wider UK that support the compound semiconductor sector. This opens the door for a range of UK-based businesses to participate and contribute to one of the UK’s most critical technology ecosystems.
The call aims to support existing and potential suppliers and buyers of the core organisations of the CSconnected Cluster.
The programme supports individual projects of up to £100,000 in grant value, with a maximum intervention rate of 50 percent, equivalent to a total project cost of £200,000. Micro companies remain eligible for a 70 percent intervention rate for grants up to £30,000. Projects must be led by a UK-registered limited company, run for between six and nine months, and demonstrate clear benefits to the South Wales region where CSconnected is headquartered.
Howard Rupprecht, managing director of CSconnected, said: “This final funding round is building on the success of the projects in the programme so far that are improving resilience and capacity within the UK’s semiconductor ecosystem. We are inviting more companies across the UK to build and strengthen their strategic supply chain partnerships with the compound semiconductor cluster in South Wales.”
Current projects are equipping suppliers with new production line capabilities, enhancing throughput, validating new products and services to improve design efficiencies, and utilising UK suppliers to onshore manufacturing processes.
Among the businesses already benefiting from the programme is KuasaSemi, a company specialising in advanced power semiconductor design. Their participation illustrates the tangible impact the fund is having on UK capability and regional collaboration.
David Mawby, co-founder and director of KuasaSemi, said: "Being part of the Supply Chain Development Programme has significantly accelerated our technical progress and helped us build a stronger UK capability in advanced power semiconductor design. The support has not only enabled key milestones but also opened new relationships across the South Wales cluster, strengthening collaboration and future innovation."
All proposals must be supported by a primary cluster organisation and will be awarded as Minimum Financial Assistance (MFA) subsidies under the Subsidy Control Act 2022, with recipients receiving quarterly payments in advance.
The funding round closes Friday, 17th April 2026. For further details on how to apply, please visit the CSconnected website.
For prospective applicants, CSconnected will host an online webinar on the 11th of March outlining the aims of the final round, eligibility criteria and application process. The session will include examples of previous successful projects, alongside practical guidance on preparing a strong submission. To sign up, please follow this link.
In addition, CSconnected will host an in-person supply chain event to spotlight the compound semiconductor supply chain across South Wales and the wider UK. The event will provide an opportunity for potential applicants to hear about sector challenges, make valuable connections with the primary cluster organisations, as well as the wider UK supply chain. To register, please follow this link.
