CSconnected celebrates 'Strength in Places Fund' programme
CSconnected, the world's first compound semiconductor cluster, brought together funders, delivery partners and industry colleagues on Thursday 10 September 2026 to celebrate the outcomes, impact and legacy of its Strength in Places Fund (SIPF) programme, which concluded in May 2026.
The event, held at CS² Imperial Park, Newport, reflected on five years of growth, collaboration and innovation delivered through the UK Research and Innovation-backed programme, which ran from 2021 to 2026 to accelerate high-growth regional clusters through investment in research, advanced manufacturing and skills.
The day saw a series of talks, showcasing the impact of the project; from new innovations, to economic impact and skills outreach.
Findings from CSconnected's 'Strength in Places Fund Impact Report 2026', published earlier this year, illustrate the scale of the impact that investment has had both for the people of Wales and beyond. Direct employment increased by 36 percent to 1,914 jobs; total Welsh jobs supported rose by 51 percent to 3,140; total Welsh GVA nearly doubled, reaching £436 million; and annual sales grew to £531 million.
The UK Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price, said: "The Strength in Places programme has achieved incredible impact and CSconnected has proved to be an invaluable partner for Welsh Government. The south Wales compound semiconductor cluster is world leading, with unrivalled access to innovation funding, government support and collaborative research programmes providing the foundations to power the technologies of tomorrow, attracting significant investment and creating high-value jobs.”
Jessica Corner, executive chair for Research England commented: “The UKRI funding from the Strength in Places Fund has seen our ambition of growing and building in Places put into action by CSconnected, who have become a thriving, competitive semiconductor cluster for the UK. Bringing together the strong partnerships and extensive collaboration within the semi-conductor cluster in South Wales has powerfully supported economic productivity, creating over 500 new jobs and over 40 new products. I look forward to CSconnected building on this success as it moves into its next phase of development.”
Howard Rupprecht, managing director of CSconnected, said: “The SIPF programme is the perfect example of what state-funded investment should deliver: skills development, job creation, attraction of inward investment and the benefits this brings to the Welsh and UK economy.“We are excited to move into the next stage of our impact with a clear ambition: to grow the cluster revenue to £1billion and deliver 6,000 jobs in the region by 2030.”
Looking ahead, CSconnected will focus on deepening UK-wide supply chain integration, expanding international partnerships and supporting emerging market opportunities across 6G communications, AI, clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
