Together, we are building something that is greater than the sum of its parts

"It is no coincidence that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth were both invented by Dutch people," says Smolders. "We have historically had a very strong position in radio and chip technology, dating back to the days of Philips."

From radios to 6G chips

After working for ten years at NXP in Nijmegen, where he developed chips and modules for mobile communications, Smolders is now a professor at TU/e and scientific director of the Casimir Institute. "Within program line 1, we focus on the radio part of wireless networks – the hardware that you can literally see, such as the antenna masts along the highway. The Netherlands has a strong position in this field worldwide, and we want to maintain and expand that position."

A chain from chip to network

What makes program line 1 unique is the entire chain that works together within FNS – from chip developers to network operators.
“We not only have chip and component designers, such as NXP and Prodrive, on board," says Smolders, "but also their customers, such as Ericsson and Nokia, and their customers' customers, such as KPN. This means that, as a component manufacturer, you know at an early stage what will be needed in four or six years' time. This allows us to innovate in a much more targeted way and be more competitive on a global scale."

This collaboration is also precisely what distinguishes the FNS approach. "It ensures that everyone in the chain is more effective; you know what you are working towards."

Rapid progress

Smolders is optimistic about the progress of the program. "We started with 25 partners, and now there are 27 – including various start-ups and spin-offs. There has been a lot of enthusiasm from the start, and that is still the case."

The results speak for themselves: more patents and prototypes than originally promised. "The first major highlight was the test chip we developed together with NXP and universities," Smolders says proudly.

"That chip fully met expectations and was unique worldwide – we are really playing in the Champions League in that area."

More than fifteen prototypes have now been developed. "And there are still quite a few in the pipeline," he adds. "These include chips that significantly improve the energy efficiency of antenna masts . About half of the global energy consumption of mobile communications is currently used for this, so every improvement makes a huge difference."

Learning and adjusting

At the same time, challenges remain. "The world is changing," says Smolders. "When we started, we focused on frequencies around 100 GHz, but our insights have changed. It now appears that the 6 to 20 GHz band is more realistic for 6G applications. That in turn requires new technology and collaboration with other sectors, such as satellite communications and defense."

According to him, this agility is one of the strengths of the FNS program: "We can make adjustments quickly because the lines of communication are short and everyone knows what's going on."

An ecosystem that works

What Smolders appreciates most about FNS is the close collaboration between knowledge institutions and companies.
"Basically, everything we do, we do together. You see that in our industrial PhDs, in people from companies who work partly at universities – that warm exchange is worth its weight in gold. It ensures that research has a direct impact on the economy and that we don't just do academically interesting things, but also make a real contribution to new products and companies."

Ready for the next phase

Looking ahead to the end of 2025, Smolders is optimistic. "The plans for phase 2 are ready, the strategy has been determined. We will deliver the prototypes we have planned in the coming period. I am confident that we will also take the next step successfully."

"Look at how we work together within FNS. The way we connect knowledge institutions and companies is unique. It really is a learning community – and together we are building something that is greater than the sum of its parts."