PHOTONHUB - One-Stop-Shop Open Access to Photonics Innovation Support for a Digital Europe

 PhotonHub Europe will establish a single pan-EU Photonics Innovation Hub which integrates the best-in-class photonics technologies, facilities, expertise and experience of 53 partners from all over Europe, including the coordinators of EU pilot lines and local photonics hubs representing 18 regions, as a one-stop-shop solution offering a comprehensive range of supports to industry for the accelerated uptake and deployment of photonics. 

PhotonHub Europe will help European SMEs and mid-caps become highly competitive digital businesses through faster and smarter deployment of photonics-based technologies, directly creating over 1.000 new high-tech EU jobs and nearly €1 billion in new revenues and venture capital by 2025. PhotonHub will provide European companies, in particular “non-photonics” SMEs and mid-caps that are first users and early adopters of photonics, with open access and guided orienteering to the following key support services:

-training and upskilling opportunities within PhotonHub’s Demo and Experience Centres throughout Europe and enhanced by digital tools for online learning;

-“test before invest” innovation support capabilities to engage with companies on highly collaborative Innovation Projects aimed at TRL acceleration from prototyping (TRL3-4) to upscaling (TRL5-6) to manufacturing (TRL7-8), and complemented by targeted business and IP advisory supports;

-support to find investment through investment-readiness coaching and investor match-making organised in collaboration with major regional and European venture fora and deep tech Investor Days

- a unique support for cross-border innovation activities of European companies, while simultaneously working closely with the local photonics hubs to develop and roll out best practices of the “lighthouse” regions for ongoing regional financial support of SME innovation activities and to support the creation of new innovation hubs covering most regions of Europe

- a fine-tune and implementation of its business plan for long-term sustainability in the form of the PhotonHub Europe Association as a durable entity which is deeply rooted within the wider ecosystem of local, regional and EU-DIHs for maximum leverage and impact on European competitiveness and sovereignty.

EBN will be mostly involved in the Work Package 3 of this project where we will support the engagement of a critical mass of European companies (especially first users and early adoptersSMEs) in intensive discussions on their innovation goals using photonics. 

In particular, EBN will provide additional business support for 30 SMEs and a more specific one for 10 SMEs suited to general upscaling needs.

Project details

Project duration: 01 Jan 2021 to 31 Dec 2024
Project funded by Competitiveness and Innovation Framework
Project type: International Project
Sectors:
Eligible countries: EU28 Countries

EBN Project Manager

Raffaele Buompane