Jane Edwards 
Draper has entered into an agreement with the Northeast Microelectronics Coalition to advise NEMC member startups and small businesses on chip design efforts to accelerate microelectronics commercialization.
Draper said Wednesday the collaboration will be officially introduced at the 2026 Microelectronics Commons Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
The NEMC Hub is a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, or MassTech, and is a network of over 300 defense and commercial companies focused on advancing lab-to-fab efforts, creating new jobs and supporting education and workforce development efforts. It was established in 2023 as part of the Microelectronics Commons program.
What Services Will Draper Provide for NEMC Members?
Under the agreement, Draper will offer advisory services focused on application-specific integrated circuit, or ASIC, design and multiproject wafer, or MPW, readiness.
The nonprofit research, development and manufacturing company will provide guidance to help NEMC members improve design quality, reduce execution risk and prepare for MPW fabrication and downstream integration.
ASICs are custom-designed semiconductor chips optimized for specific functions, often used in high-performance or specialized applications. MPW arrangements allow multiple customers to share wafer fabrication and mask tooling costs across several designs.
Draper stated that its role will remain advisory. The organization will not approve chip designs, certify fabrication readiness or control access to MPW or fabrication resources. MassTech will scope and coordinate work to ensure alignment with the NEMC Hub’s program objectives.
The effort builds on NEMC’s Powering Regional Opportunities for Prototyping Microelectronics program, which provides funding and support to help early-stage ventures reduce development timelines and address technical risks.
What Did Draper & NEMC Leaders Say About the Collaboration?
Michael Cassidy, director of secured and assured systems at Draper, said the organization intends to share its experience in ASIC design and MPW preparedness with NEMC members.
“This agreement reflects our commitment as a trusted innovation partner to strengthen this region’s microelectronics ecosystem by meeting innovators where they are. Draper’s role will be to help NEMC members navigate the complexity of ASIC design, fabrication, and integration so their ideas can move from the lab into the real world to support national security and commercial competitiveness,” Cassidy added.
Farhad Vazehgoo, director of strategic initiatives and partnerships at NEMC, said the collaboration will provide members with access to advisory support within the Microelectronics Commons ecosystem.
“By reinforcing the value of design readiness and MPW execution discipline, we are strengthening our offerings to help member companies overcome manufacturing and operational hurdles and accelerate time to market,” Vazehgoo noted.
What Is the Microelectronics Commons Program?
The Microelectronics Commons program is a national network of regional technology hubs to strengthen domestic microelectronics research, prototyping and workforce development to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign microelectronics and protect the U.S. from supply chain risks.
The program consists of eight regional hubs and focuses on six tech areas: secure edge and Internet of Things computing; quantum technology; 5G/6G technology; electromagnetic warfare; artificial intelligence hardware; and commercial leap ahead technologies. It is managed by the National Security Technology Accelerator.
