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

The project is carried out at the Warsaw University of Technology by optical and photonic groups from the Faculty of Mechatronics (Inst. of Micromechanics and Photonics), Electronics and Information Technologies (Inst. of Microelectronics and Optoelectronics) and the Faculty of Physics, which have been cooperating for many years with leading research centres in Europe and worldwide to promote photonic solutions and their commercialisation.

PhotonHub Europe aims to help European small and medium-sized enterprises become digital businesses through rapid and smart deployment of photonic technologies, while creating over 1,000 new highly specialised jobs, nearly €1 billion in new revenue and venture capital by the end of 2025.

PhotonHub creates a single innovation hub that brings together photonics technology leaders, laboratories, knowledge and 

expertise - 53 top competence centres across Europe, creating a one-stop solution with open access for any European company that would like to innovate based on photonics.

PhotonHub will provide open access and business support to European companies, those in the SME sector, particularly outside the photonics industry, and mid-cap companies that are early adopters and/or early adopters of photonics, through the PhotonHub office in Brussels. PhotonHub's wide range of services include:

• Training and up-skilling in photonics. Photonics training and up-skilling support for company employees includes technology topics, lecture-based topic guides and hands-on laboratory training and Train-the-Trainer programmes in 40 demonstration centres and 10 experience centres across Europe. All centres are coordinated to ensure consistent standards of excellence within the PhotonHub European Photonics Innovation Academy.

• Support for the 'Test Before You Invest' innovation. The "Test before you invest" innovation support will provide the transfer of expertise and equipment needed for design, prototyping, experimentation and pilot production. All complemented by expert guidance, seamlessly connected to the complete industrial chain in Europe. This is made possible by Europe's leading research centres with their innovative facilities offering the widest possible range of photonic technologies covering activities from concept through early stage product development to market introduction.

• Support in attracting investment. PhotonHub helps companies innovating in photonics to find investors from a variety of sources, including venture capital, private and/or public sources, to enhance their ability to bring new photonic and 'photonics-enabled' products to market faster.

The project is implemented by an international consortium of 53 research and business centres coordinated by VUB - Vrije Universiteit Brussel.