➀ The 5th Free Silicon Conference (FSiC 2025) took place at IHP in Frankfurt (Oder), focusing on open-source EDA tools and integrated circuit design to advance Europe's technological sovereignty;

➁ Over 30 technical sessions covered digital/analog circuit design, simulation, PDKs, hardware security, and EU funding initiatives, highlighting interoperability between open-source tools and industrial workflows;

➂ IHP and the Free Silicon Foundation emphasized open standards and collaboration as critical for innovation, with lab tours and EU co-funded projects reinforcing the event's impact.

➀ This article introduces a world's smallest open-source LoRa + GPS module designed specifically for wearables and IoT applications, measuring only 3 cm in diameter.

➁ The module combines the Quectel L86-M33 GPS chip for precise tracking and the Ai-Thinker RA-02 LoRa module for long-range communication in a compact form factor.

➂ The design is fully open-source, allowing users to modify and utilize the module for personal or commercial projects without restrictions, with additional free usage when paired with the IndusBoardCoin.

➀ SPAIA is founded to address the decline in insect populations and their critical role in biodiversity and ecosystem health.

➁ The team is working on a scalable global insect data network, combining low-cost hardware and AI software.

➂ SPAIA's technology aims to provide real-time insights into insect activity and biomass intelligence for sustainable environmental management.

STMicroelectronics and HighTec EDV-Systeme have combined HighTec’s Rust compiler with ST’s Stellar 28nm MCUs to provide safety-critical systems in software-defined vehicles. Rust ensures the resilience of critical automotive systems with its memory safety, thread safety, and data type safety provisions, while maintaining runtime efficiency comparable to C/C++. HighTec’s compiler suite allows for the integration of Rust’s safety features with legacy C/C++ code for automotive applications. The Stellar MCUs are built on Arm Cortex R52+ cores and comply with ISO 21434 cybersecurity standards and UN155 requirements.