Tech Boom in Aachen: Black Semiconductor, Ericsson & Startup Scene

Black Semiconductor: The first chip factory of a German startup

Black Semiconductor is an Aachen-based deep tech startup that develops chips based on graphene photonics. Graphene, a single-layer carbon structure with exceptional electrical properties, is considered a promising material for the next generation of optical data communication – that is, for chips that transmit data as light instead of electrical signals. The company is not only developing this technology in the lab but also building its own production facility, which Handelsblatt described as unique: Black Semiconductor is the first startup in Germany to build its own chip factory.

The factory is named FabONE and is being built in a former automotive hall in the Rothe Erde district of Aachen. This is no small lab project. According to Handelsblatt, the federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia have pledged almost 229 million euros to the company; the total package, including venture capital, amounted to approximately 254 million euros (as of June 2024). In 2025, the company launched a second funding round with a target volume of 125 million euros. The first wafers are expected by the end of 2026, with actual pilot production scheduled to begin in 2027.

An important caveat: These figures are company statements and communicated targets. Production dates in the semiconductor industry are regularly subject to delays, and the second funding round had not yet been completed at the time of research. The figures should be checked against current sources before publication.

What is certain, regardless of the exact milestones: The strategic decision to build the factory in Aachen has been made. The company has chosen this location and is investing here, not elsewhere. This is the true commitment to the location.

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Why Graphene Photonics is Strategically Important

The context of this technology explains why the project receives such strong political support. Europe is heavily dependent on Asian and American producers for semiconductors and chips. The EU chip strategy aims to reduce this dependency. Black Semiconductor is working on a particularly future-relevant segment: chips for optical data communication will be needed as more AI data centers emerge and network bandwidths increase. Whoever builds production capacities in this area early on secures a strategically important position.

For Aachen, this means: The city is not only a research hub thanks to RWTH, but also, through FabONE, a production site for a technology that will gain economic importance in the coming years.

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Ericsson Eurolab: 500 Highly Qualified Professionals from 50 Nations

Ericsson, the Swedish telecommunications group, has operated its Eurolab for decades in Herzogenrath, directly on the border of Aachen. The Eurolab is one of the group's most important research centers worldwide and employs around 500 highly qualified professionals from over 50 nations. Here, 5G and 6G technologies, as well as open CloudRAN and OpenRAN architectures, are developed – i.e., the infrastructure for the next generation of mobile communication.

By the end of 2026, the Eurolab will move from Herzogenrath to a new building on Prager Ring in Aachen. The building, a project by Landmarken AG named "Arbeitswelten am Prager Ring" (Work Worlds at Prager Ring), will be certified according to LEED Gold standard. The relocation means: Approximately 500 highly qualified positions, which were previously formally located in Herzogenrath, will now be situated in Aachen itself.

This is an immediate change for the job market in Aachen. People who work for Ericsson Eurolab or aspire to a position there are looking for housing in the city. Anyone familiar with the demographic composition of the Eurolab knows: They are international professionals, often with short- or medium-term residency prospects, for whom a fully furnished apartment is structurally a better fit than a multi-year rental commitment on the open market.

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The Broader Ecosystem: RWTH, Startups, and Support Structures

Black Semiconductor and Ericsson are the most prominent examples, but they are embedded in a broader ecosystem that has grown in Aachen over the years.

RWTH itself is one of Germany's most productive universities when it comes to spin-offs. RWTH Innovation, digitalHUB Aachen, and the Collective Incubator structurally support founders from the university environment. The Gateway Factory, a collaboration between RWTH Aachen, Cologne, and Düsseldorf, has been one of Germany's ten federally funded Startup Factories since July 2025, receiving up to ten million euros in funding over five years. This means structured support for startup projects in key technological fields, with direct links to the Aachen university area.

Startup Week Aachen will take place from July 6 to 10, 2026, concluding with the founders.festival on July 10. This is the annual format that highlights the scene and draws national attention to Aachen's startup ecosystem.

Anyone who works or wants to work in Aachen – i.e., at one of the major technology companies, at RWTH itself, or in a startup – lives in an environment that fosters professional exchange through close proximity. This Working in Aachen this gives it a profile that extends far beyond the university.

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What this specifically means for professionals

The Aachen technology market is increasingly attracting highly qualified professionals who work in the city for limited periods: project staff at Black Semiconductor or Ericsson, visiting researchers at RWTH, early-stage founders, and specialists in consulting and service roles for the growing tech scene.

For these individuals, the open rental market is often not a viable option. Those who come to Aachen for twelve or eighteen months don't want a long-term lease with the hassle of furnishing and the risk of incurring costs if they leave prematurely. What suits them is a fully furnished apartment with a flexible term, which works from day one and requires no effort when moving out.

The Guter Hirte housing project at Campus West is designed precisely for this situation. Fully furnished, immediately available, with flexible terms, and located in an area from which both the city center and public transport to all city locations are reachable within minutes. The article explains why furnished living is the more sensible choice for professionals in certain life stages Furnished Apartments in Aachen: Who Really Benefits?.

Anyone who has done the cost comparison between a furnished apartment and traditional housing knows: The difference is smaller than it seems when all costs are honestly factored in.

Current availability and prices: https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/apartment

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Conclusion

Aachen is more than just a university town. With Black Semiconductor building Germany's first startup chip factory in Rothe Erde, and Ericsson Eurolab moving to Prager Ring with around 500 employees from 50 nations, the city is developing into a technology hub with real economic significance. Within an ecosystem of RWTH, Gateway Factory, digitalHUB, and an active startup scene, an infrastructure is growing that creates short distances between research, founding, and application. For professionals in the technology sector, Aachen in 2026 is a location worth considering.

More about the Aachen job market: https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/campus-magazin/arbeiten-in-aachen