“Europe needs to promote but also protect the integrated photonics ecosystem”

By Bart Brouwers

Why we write about this topic:

Integrated Photonics is a key technology that will enable many innovations in the coming years. In a series of 5 articles, we look back on the Photonics PIC Summit Europe. Read the other articles, once published, here.

Visitors from more than 30 countries enjoyed the first edition of PIC Summit Europe in Eindhoven on November 7 and 8. In two days, the whole integrated photonics value chain – including academics, startups, policymakers, and the industry – got together to share their views and learn from each other.

CEO Ewit Roos of PhotonDelta, the main organizer of the event, looks back with joy: “It was everything we hoped for. Together with Eindhoven University of Technology and IPSR-I, we were able to offer a diverse and compelling program. We are incredibly proud of the successful first edition of this international photonic chip conference. We want to thank the amazing speakers, the large crowd, the sponsors, and our partners for making it possible.”

In recent years, under the leadership of PhotonDelta, a solid foundation has been laid under the Dutch integrated photonics ecosystem. Read all about the applications here.

Your Sneak Preview of the Future

The program, which took place at High Tech Campus Eindhoven and the Eindhoven University of Technology, consisted of lectures, panel debates, workshops, and informal meetings. Representatives of the European Commission, universities, the Dutch national government, and the industry shared their visions on themes like funding, ecosystem and technology development, the resilience of the European value chain, and the competition with China and the U.S.

One of the summit’s conclusions is that the European value chain is already outstanding but needs to be built further to be able to keep playing a significant role on a global level. “Europe needs to promote but also protect the integrated photonics ecosystem”, as Michiel Sweers (Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs) put it. Much is expected in this regard from the new European Chips Act.

The second edition of PIC Summit Europe will be in November 2023.

PIC Summit Europe 2022 is a new congress, one of two photonic chip conferences in Europe and will return annually. It is expected to take place again next year in November. PhotonDelta is the lead organizer of the congress; the program was set up together with the Eindhoven University of Technology and IPSR-I.