Xiphera contributes to SecureSoC, strengthening Finland’s cybersecurity, security of supply, and semiconductor expertise

June 16, 2026 -- Tampere University has launched the SecureSoC project that aims to develop secure system-on-chip (SoC) technologies for future critical systems in Finland. This collaborative development initiative is funded by Business Finland and involves Insta, Nokia, VLSI Solution Oy, Wapice, Xiphera and TTTech Flexibilis Oy as industry partners

The total budget for the three-year SecureSoC project is €6.7 million. Nokia’s share of the funding is provided through Business Finland’s Leading Companies programme.

Advancing European semiconductor self-sufficiency and secure technologies

The SecureSoC project focuses on the development of system-on-chip (SoC) solutions that will provide a foundation for secure, high-performance products across industry, defence, automation and other critical sectors. The project is based on a security-by-design approach, incorporating AI-assisted verification methods and building on the outcomes of the earlier SoC Hub initiative.

The new project is launched in response to a significant change in the operating environment. Under the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), all network-connected products placed on the European market will be required to meet hardware-level cybersecurity requirements by 2027.

“Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important in light of the current climate of global uncertainty and advances in quantum computing, which threaten the integrity of existing cryptographic algorithms.The SecureSoC project, coordinated by Tampere University, represents a natural continuation of the SoC Hub community’s efforts to strengthen expertise in secure chip technologies. Within this project, the University will undertake research that will, for example, support the advancement of our digital and analogue components towards commercial readiness.SecureSoC is also the first initiative under SoC Hub in which Tampere University engages in close collaboration with OpenTitan, an open-source silicon Root of Trust (RoT) project, as an official research partner,” says Pekka Jääskeläinen, Professor of Computer Sciences at Tampere University.

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Industry partners contribute specialist expertise

The industry partners involved in SecureSoC bring strong specialist expertise to the project, spanning hardware-level cybersecurity, software development and system-level design. This university-industry collaboration enables a comprehensive approach in which security, performance and usability are integrated into a coherent whole from the earliest stages of the design process.

“A key strength of the SecureSoC project lies in the complementary expertise of the partners. VLSI Solution contributes specialist expertise in compact system-on-chip (SoC) design and RISC‑V-based processing, reinforced by the capabilities of the other consortium members in hardware-based cybersecurity, cryptography and system-level security. VLSI Solution aims to leverage the expertise generated through the project in the development of both next-generation secure, network-connected SoCs and customer-specific solutions,” says Teppo Karema, CEO of VLSI Solution.

“Security must be built into technology from the chip level upwards.SecureSoC provides Xiphera with an opportunity to integrate our hardware-based cybersecurity and cryptographic IP solutions into next-generation Finnish semiconductor architectures, while strengthening national expertise in the development of secure digital systems,” says Petri Jehkonen, Director of Strategic Programs at Xiphera.

The significance of safety extends from technical solutions to broader societal goals, including digital sovereignty and security of supply.

“In the future, secure system-on-chip solutions will be as important to digital sovereignty and security of supply as networks, software and communications systems.Through the SecureSoC project, Insta is contributing to the development of expertise and technologies that strengthen both Insta’s and Finland’s ability to develop domestically produced, high-assurance hardware-based systems, with security extending across the entire supply chain,” says Tatu Männistö, Senior Director of Technology at Insta Advance Oy.

In practical applications, safety also encompasses the manageability and reliability of systems throughout their entire life cycle.

“Wapice works with its customers to develop systems that are integrated into critical societal infrastructure. Increasing system connectivity, growing software complexity and the resulting maintenance demands require a seamless chain of trust extending from the chip level to application software. Within the SecureSoC project, Wapice is developing next-generation, quantum-secure cybersecurity solutions to protect edge devices and their software, ensuring end-to-end security throughout the system lifecycle”, says Sakari Junnila from Wapice.

“Secure SoC provides Nokia with a powerful co-innovation environment to advance next-generation system-on-chip design and talent. We are applying artificial intelligence to accelerate design and verification, while progressing virtual environments and digital twins to enable earlier software development and validation. This work strengthens our expertise and drives faster, more efficient SoC development,” said Derek Urbaniak, Head of RAN RD SoC at Nokia.

SecureSoC lays the foundation for long-term semiconductor development in Finland

The evaluation framework developed within the SecureSoC project will also serve as a foundation for Finland’s emerging semiconductor IP roadmap and marketplace. It will provide a platform for integrating, testing and validating reusable IP blocks, subsystems and future SoC derivatives.

SecureSoC is therefore not only an individual research project but also lays the groundwork for the sustained development of semiconductor technologies in Finland.