Open-Innovation Photonics pilot for NWE

The TransNational Network – your single entry point to the world of PICs

Photonics is an emerging technology with a potential multitrillion market. Innovative small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are at the forefront of this development, but the R&D costs are prohibitive for them. That’s why 12 partners from northwestern Europe are creating an open access pilot line that will drastically reduce costs and time for the pilot production of new products. The 14 million euro project (OIP4NWE) is supported by the European Regional Development Fund and kicked off in November, 2018 in Eindhoven.

Within the OIP4NWE project, a TransNational Network (TNN) of existing organisations has been built, active in engaging with SMEs in the implementation in the implementation of integrated photonics.

Consisting of some partners in this project and other additional support organisations not included in the project, the Network will be expanding over the life time of the project in order to reach new markets and increase the projects outreach.

An organisation joining the TNN will benefit from early identification of business opportunities, connecting to Digital Innovation Hubs, avail of knowledge and expertise in PIC technology and benefit from the pilot line established within the project OIP4NWE.

The TNN will be active in soliciting candidates for the voucher scheme, leading to 7 SMEs using the Pilot Line for PIC manufacturing. The TNN also supports the internal relationships between key work packages of the project, the vouchers to increase the outreach of the call for proposals and communications – the TransNational Network will be the project’s dissemination instrument and will promote open innovation collaboration. After project end, the TNN will remain in operation to serve as marketing instrument for attracting SMEs making use of the pilotline and other parts of the ecosystem.

Therefore, the TransNational Network is an important tool to reach the projects goals, increase the visibility of the emerging pilot line and the partners activities and gain sustainable success of the services offered within OIP4NWE.

Perfectly set from the beginning

But the TransNational Network doesn’t need to be set up from scratch – the project partners already include leading photonic innovation hubs and support organisations in the NWE region, and the task leader has approached EPIC (European Photonics Industry Consortium), a leading support organisation with a global presence, to include the TransNational Network in future outreach and dissemination activities. EPIC are the outreach and dissemination leaders for MIRPHAB, PIXAPP and JePPIX photonic pilot lines. In addition EPIC has a wide membership within the photonics industries and organise and attend multiple events including events, in USA and Asia.

That is why the TransNational Network has already started its work and represents the Interreg NWE project OIP4NWE internationally even before the network and their members themselves go public to introduce the TNN.

The TNN Partners

OIP4NWE Vouchers – be one of the first to benefit from the newly set-up Open Innovation PIC pilot line!

The OIP4NWE project aims at establishing an open innovation pilot line for the development of generic photonic integration technology. Equipment manufacturers, a pure-play foundry and researchers collaborate to establish the infrastructure and processes dedicated to the pilot production of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) based on Indium Phosphide. The capabilities will include packaging and external optics as well.
Be one of the first companies to test the PIC pilot line. After the pilot line has been set up and validated, a voucher scheme for 7 small and medium-sized enterprises will be set up to lift the technology readiness level (TRL) of their products from 4 to 7.

When is the call for vouchers opening?

The call will open around the beginning of 2021.

What are the minimum requirements to access the voucher call?

• The applicant should be an SME according to the European definition. Applications of intermediaries such as consultants etc. are not eligible.
• The applicant should be based in North-West Europe (regional and sectorial distribution will be pursued).
• The applicant should have demonstrated the technical feasibility of his application proposal, i.e. the applicant should have a PIC design ready and preferably a validated prototype (the TRL level of their current PIC should be 4). Proposals for proof-of-concept type demonstrators are not eligible.
• The applicant should demonstrate a business case for scale-up to volume production and/or how the funded project will positively impact on their future business.
• Voucher recipients should agree to collaborate on documenting their use case (to be used as dissemination material to attract other users of the pilot line, during as well as after the project).

What does the voucher cover?

• Mentoring and support on non-technical aspects of PIC implementation.
• Design verification to check compatibility of the PIC design with the OIP4NWE pilot line.
• Preparation of integration of the PIC into the product of the SME.
• Manufacturing of the PICs on the OIP4NWE pilot line.

How can I get into contact for further questions or a voucher application?

Please contact the leader of the OIP4NWE voucher scheme workpackage:

Jürgen Van Erps

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

voucher@oip4nwe.eu

OIP4NWE – Pilot line for enhanced and scalable photonic integration technology.

Integrated photonics (Photonic, integrated circuits, PIC) is the emerging technology where the manipulation of light takes place on a chip, making the components an order of magnitude cheaper, smaller and more energy-efficient compared to today’s solutions. By providing these services to SMEs across Europe, the partners of the OIP4NWE project reduce PIC access barriers and strengthen the competitiveness and innovativeness of European SME sustainably on the global markets by setting up a pilot-line. To further support SMEs in the first experience in the field of photonic integrated circuits, a voucher call has been established.

This is how you can benefit from the technology with a minimum of risk:

To show the great impact of PICs on the markets and to illustrate the high potential of this technological approach, the OIP4NWE consortium invites you to series of webinars, where stakeholders from different pic application fields give insights in technological demands and opportunities and discuss the improvements by using the pic technology.

An additional Webinar focusses especially on the technological specifications of the OIP4NWE pilot line as well as on the voucher call and how you can benefit from these. In this virtual meeting, all project partners will be available to answer your specific questions.

Become active and get in touch with photonic integrated circuits.

Schedule:

27 Jan 2021 - 10:00 (CET): Webinar on PICs in Data and Telecom applications

Speaker: Antonio Tartaglia – Ericsson

The data and telecommunication market currently account for more than half of the total market for PICs. Developments in this area are therefore correspondingly significant. 

Duration: approximately one hour.

03 Feb 2021 - 10:00 (CET): Webinar on PICs for Medical Devices and in Life Science applications

Speaker: Cees Ronda – Philips

In the medical devices field, there is a severe cost pressure as a result of ageing populations. Older people generally need more care and with people getting older on average, the need for care increases. This is an important driver in this market. Another driver is a desire to reduce the impact of deadliest diseases.

Duration: approximately one hour.

10 Feb 2021 - 10:00 (CET):  Introduction OIP4NWE Pilot line + voucher call

All three parts of the pilot line – frontend, backend, packaging – and the technical details will be illustrated by the partners personally. Get in-depth first-hand information to get the most out of the pilot line for your business. Over that, the call for vouchers of the OIP4NWE project will be explained and all questions of interested SMEs will be answered by the consortium.

Duration: approximately 2 hours.

Additional webinars on further applications fields, like “Infrastructure and Transportation” as well as “Food and Agriculture” will follow shortly.