SoCLab, Proposal for a Danish System-on-Chip Initiative

The objective of the System-on-Chip (SoC) initiative, SoCLab, is to
create a Danish virtual centre aimed at driving the future of electronic design. It represents a unique collaboration involving government, industry and academia to create a world-leading centre for the electronic and related design industries of the future.
A Danish SoC centre should offer access to a comprehensive range of
research and development facilities, covering fully-serviced
laboratories, methods, tools, virtual components and employee training
support. The initiative will develop Denmark into a world leading
location for System-on-Chip design. The initiative consists of:
- A Research & Education activity to increase the number of skilled SoC
designers and to develop new competences to ease the SoC design process.
- A SocLab established as a design laboratory supporting the above
mentioned research and education activity while at the same time
providing an environment for interdisciplinary projects carried out
jointly by industry and academia (DTU).
- A virtual component (IP) exchange function concentrated on the
business and legal issues involved with SoC designs. User groups will be
formed in order to evaluate and prototype various IP blocks (DELTA).
- A continuous training programme to address the shortage of skilled SoC
designers in Danish industry.
- An overall Programme Management Board will be established in order to
monitor, steer and create synergy among the various activities. This
should be established as a legal entity.
The initiative will be followed by an international co-operation
activity aimed at exchanging know-how and IPs with other leading SoC
centres. Out of several collaboration partners four centres have been
identified for a tighter co-operation.