Campus² Tech Talks - From Research to Market: Chip & Antenna Innovation

Chips and high-tech systems form the backbone of our digital society. They enable AI, drive the energy transition and support next-generation wireless communication. Europe’s competitiveness in these domains depends on strong collaboration between academia and industry.

◉ March 16, 2026
◈ High Tech Campus Eindhoven – Conference Center
◷ 15:30 – 18:00

Formerly known as the Open Lecture, Campus² Tech Talks brings together science, business and society around topics that shape our technological future. This edition is jointly organized by High Tech Campus Eindhoven and TU/e Alumni Relations.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Bart Smolders, Scientific Director of the Casimir Institute, will outline how TU/e strengthens Europe’s position in chips and high-tech systems. He will discuss current developments in antenna and chip technologies, the role of interdisciplinary collaboration and how the Casimir Institute connects fundamental research to industrial application within the context of the European Chips Act.

Diego Caratelli, CTO of The Antenna Company, will present the development of advanced mm-wave antenna array technology and share the industry perspective on working closely with TU/e and the Casimir Institute. His talk provides a concrete example of how joint research accelerates development and commercialization.

Together, the speakers illustrate how the Brainport ecosystem connects knowledge and entrepreneurship to move innovation from lab to market.

PROGRAM:

15:30 – Walk-in with coffee and tea

16:00 – Opening

16:05 – Bart Smolders (TU/e / Casimir Institute)
Accelerating sustainable chips and high-tech systems innovation

16:35 – Diego Caratelli (The Antenna Company)
From mm-Wave Research to Scalable Antenna Arrays

17:00 – Q&A with the audience

17:20 – Drinks & networking

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

Bart Smolders

Full Professor, Electromagnetics Group, TU/e
Scientific Director, Casimir Institute

Bart Smolders is Full Professor and Chair of the Electromagnetics group at TU/e and leads the Future Chips Flagship. His expertise includes antenna systems and microwave engineering, with a focus on integrated antenna systems and phased arrays for 6G and beyond.

He is involved in major European and national programs such as FNS-6G, SILIKA and MYWAVE, and co-founded AntenneX, a start-up specializing in over-the-air test facilities for millimeter-wave systems. With previous experience at NXP Semiconductors and Thales, he combines academic leadership with industrial innovation.

Diego Caratelli

CTO & Vice-President of Engineering, The Antenna Company
Full Professor, TU/e

Diego Caratelli leads product development and R&D at The Antenna Company, translating advanced electromagnetics into market-ready antenna solutions for wireless, satellite and radar applications.

He has authored more than 250 scientific publications and holds 32 patent families in antenna technologies. As Full Professor at TU/e, he actively connects industry and academia in the development of next-generation antenna array systems and mm-wave technologies.

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