Luc Van den hove – Expanded Wiki

Full Name: Luc Van den hove
Born: 1960, Belgium
Nationality: Belgian
Current Role (as of 2025): President and CEO, imec
Fields: Semiconductor technology, nanoelectronics, R&D management, photonics, AI hardware, quantum computing
Education: Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, KU Leuven (Catholic University of Leuven)

Overview

Luc Van den hove is a prominent Belgian technologist and executive best known for his long-standing leadership at imec, the world-leading R&D hub for nanoelectronics and digital technologies. Since becoming CEO in 2009, he has been instrumental in steering imec into the forefront of global semiconductor innovation, fostering partnerships with industry giants like Intel, TSMC, ASML, GlobalFoundries, and Samsung, as well as emerging players in quantum, AI, and bioelectronics.

Under his leadership, imec has grown into a multidisciplinary powerhouse, expanding into advanced logic scaling (CMOS 2.0), 3D integration, photonics, sensors, AI hardware, and quantum computing. His vision has shaped imec’s unique role as a pre-competitive R&D ecosystem, critical in bridging academia, industry, and government.

Career Timeline

Year	Milestone
1984	Joined imec as a researcher after receiving Ph.D. from KU Leuven
1998	Appointed VP of Silicon Process and Device Technology
2005	Became EVP and COO of imec
2009	Appointed President and CEO of imec
2016	Oversaw imec’s merger with iMinds, expanding into digital tech
2020s	Led imec through EU Chips Act and CMOS 2.0 era
2025	Advocating for CMOS 2.0 as successor to classic Moore’s Law scaling

Key Contributions and Initiatives

CMOS 2.0 Vision: Advocates imec’s roadmap beyond 2nm, emphasizing system-technology co-optimization (STCO), advanced packaging, 3D chip stacking, and heterogeneous integration.
High-NA EUV Development: imec, under his direction, has been instrumental in early R&D and prototyping with ASML’s High-NA EUV lithography systems.
imec.IC-link & Start-Up Ecosystem: Expanded imec’s foundry interface and support for startups and scale-ups through initiatives like the imec.istart program.
Quantum, AI & Bio: Pushed imec into new domains including AI accelerators (e.g. spiking neural networks), quantum device research, and digital health sensors.

Notable Quotes

“Moore’s Law is not dead. It is being reinvented.”
— Luc Van den hove, imec Technology Forum (ITF) 2019

“We’re moving from classic CMOS scaling to system scaling. The next wave is about co-optimization across chip, package, and system – this is CMOS 2.0.”
— Luc Van den hove, ITF World 2023

“At imec, we don’t just push lithography boundaries; we help reimagine what computing can become in the next 10 to 20 years.”

“The European Chips Act is not just about autonomy; it’s about leadership through innovation. imec plays a central role in building that vision.”

“The future of compute lies in the convergence of technologies: nano, photonics, quantum, and bio. That’s where imec is uniquely positioned.”

Industry Influence and Collaborations

ASML: Early partnership on EUV and now High-NA EUV development and prototyping.
Intel: Longstanding R&D collaborations; imec played a role in Intel’s advanced node development.
TSMC & Samsung: imec often acts as a neutral research ground, allowing multiple competitors to co-develop enabling technologies.
European Commission: Influential in shaping policy and research funding under Horizon Europe and the EU Chips Act.

Awards and Recognition

Fellow of the IEEE
Leadership Award from SEMI Europe
Doctor Honoris Causa from multiple European universities
Advisory roles in European R&D and innovation councils

Legacy and Outlook

Luc Van den hove is considered one of the most influential European figures in semiconductor R&D, recognized for transforming imec from a regional R&D lab into a global powerhouse of innovation. His work has not only impacted chip scaling but also created a sustainable model of pre-competitive collaboration that supports the entire semiconductor ecosystem.