Second funding notice for the Digital Hardware Hub Aachen

The Digital Hardware Hub Aachen (DHHA) has secured a second round of funding from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection, and Energy of North Rhine-Westphalia (MWIKE). The ministry has allocated approximately €6.9 million to support the planning of a new research facility at Campus West in Aachen.

This new funding follows the recent approval of the DigiHub-IT—the first sub-project of the DHHA—which focuses on enhancing IT infrastructure at AMO to create a cutting-edge deep tech hub for networking and innovation. The next phase, and the most significant, will involve the construction of the research and office building. A decision on the funding for this third phase, approximately €38 million, is still pending.

According to Prof. Max Lemme, Managing Director of AMO, “With the establishment of the Digital Hardware Hub Aachen, we are creating a highly innovative incubation center where we can intensify our application-driven research in nanotechnology. Our goal is not only to develop nanotechnology as a future technology but also to integrate it into a broad range of innovations that will shape a sustainable and value-driven future, in collaboration with regional companies and startups.”

Mona Neubaur, NRW Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection, and Energy, added: “The Digital Hardware Hub Aachen is a testament to how small-scale, highly innovative R&D in the Rhineland can lead to technological advancements and future-proof jobs. The Aachen region directly benefits, but the impact of the DHHA extends far beyond, driving the economic transformation toward climate neutrality.”

The Digital Hardware Hub Aachen is part of a broader initiative aimed at strengthening nanotechnology research and development in NRW, supported by the structural enhancement funds for the Rhenish mining area.