​Launched in December 2022, the European ​PREVAIL project carries a strong ambition to foster the development of Edge AI. Its objective is to provide a Testing and Experimentation Facility (TEF*) to European stakeholders in the sector, particularly academic institutions, start-ups*, and SMEs, which do not always have the resources to test their solutions.

“This is a critical sovereignty challenge for Europe," explains Guillaume Rodriguez, Head of PREVAIL Equipment at CEA-Leti. “The goal is to provide a cutting-edge 300 mm infrastructure to accelerate innovation in Edge AI, within an environment that closely reflects real industrial conditions."

CEA-Leti's Technological Expertise Serving Edge AI

Today, AI must meet increasingly demanding requirements in sectors such as industry, mobility, healthcare, and AIoT*. Achieving the expected levels of energy efficiency, latency, security, and privacy now requires bringing intelligence closer to the component itself.

“This is precisely what is referred to as Edge AI: an approach in which intelligence is integrated as close as possible to the hardware in order to deliver faster, more energy-efficient, and more secure systems," summarizes Guillaume Rodriguez.

To address these challenges, the platform developed by PREVAIL is based on three technological pillars: non-volatile memories, 3D integration, and radio-frequency and photonic connectivity.

“CEA-Leti has significantly strengthened its technological capabilities in 3D integration and heterogeneous packaging*," Guillaume Rodriguez explains. “For example, we have expanded our capabilities in ultra-high-resolution direct chip bonding, low-temperature deposition of metallic and dielectric materials for hybrid bonding, and ultra-sensitive on-chip defect inspection."

​More Than 50 Tools Installed and Available Through the PREVAIL TEF

The PREVAIL consortium was founded by Europe's four leading RTOs*: CEA-Leti, which coordinates the project, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Germany), imec (Belgium), and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (Finland).

In May 2026, these partners reached a decisive milestone for the project and, more broadly, for the European Edge AI ecosystem.

PREVAIL funded the acquisition of 52 strategic tools distributed across the four organizations, enabling European companies and academic institutions to access a unique set of manufacturing capabilities and technology building blocks.

All cleanroom equipment has now been installed, qualified, and is ready for operation through the facilities of the participating RTOs.

Users can submit their requests directly through the online interface on the PREVAIL w​​ebsite. The request is then pre-analyzed and distributed among the four partners, who assess the risks and realistic implementation timelines, as well as deploy the various required technology building blocks.

By combining the advanced 300 mm capabilities of the RTOs with leading expertise in design, manufacturing, and testing, PREVAIL has created the TEF Edge AI HW*. This infrastructure is now fully operational, open to users, and ready to support the validation of innovative Edge AI components, from early prototypes to next-generation applications.

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*TEF Edge AI HW: Testing and Experimentation Facility for Edge AI Hardware

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