Tech Commissioner: photonics key to “Europe’s competitiveness and security”

Speaking via video link to leading scientists and innovators in Brussels to celebrate two decades of the European Technology Platform, Photonics21, Virkkunen urged the sector to prepare for closer alignment with Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem in FP10 and to demonstrate how photonics can deliver tangible European value.

“Photonics is not only a field of scientific inquiry but a strategic asset for the European Union. Its applications permeate various sectors, contributing to our resilience, competitiveness and security,” the Commissioner said.

This year’s milestone annual meeting brought hundreds of leaders from industry, academia, and policy. It served as a platform to reflect on twenty years of progress while charting the course for the upcoming Framework Programme 10 (FP10).

Over the past decade, Photonics21 has played a key role in shaping major public-private investments through the Photonics Public Private Partnership (PPP) with the European Commission, channeling more than €1 billion into European photonics research and innovation activities.

Shaping FP10 priorities

Looking ahead to the next EU research and innovation programme, Virkkunen called for photonics to “remain a key part of Europe’s strategic technology agenda,” ensuring the continent’s continued leadership in critical technologies.

Dr Lutz Aschke, President of Photonics21, welcomed the Commissioner’s remarks, emphasising the indispensable role of photonics in Europe’s technological landscape. “Photonics is the backbone of Europe’s digital and green transitions. Commissioner Virkkunen’s message reinforces what we’ve always known: that light-based technologies are essential infrastructure for Europe’s sovereignty, competitiveness, and sustainability. As we look ahead to FP10, we’re ready to work with the Commission to ensure photonics continues to deliver impact across every major European priority.”

Since its inception in 2005, Photonics21 has played a pivotal role in uniting stakeholders across Europe to advance photonics research and innovation. During this period, it has strategically coordinated Europe’s leading photonics players to influence EU research through Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe while positioning Europe as a global leader in technologies like laser manufacturing, optical communications, sensors, quantum photonics, and biomedical imaging.

“We’ve come a long way since our launch in 2005. Back then, at a time when Bluetooth was considered cutting-edge, Photonics21 was a small group of pioneers working to put photonics on Europe’s strategic agenda. Today, we are a vibrant community of more than 4,000 members driving innovation across critical sectors, from climate and health to digital infrastructure and quantum technologies. This anniversary celebrates our past but also affirms our commitment to light science and technology as key enablers of Europe’s future,” Dr Aschke said.

A celebration of light

The event commenced with a spectacular light show commemorating Photonics21’s two-decade journey. Attendees enjoyed a striking LED performance by renowned light artist Lemmi. Combining music, movement and computer-controlled illuminated props, the performance created a captivating display of colour and choreography – a fitting tribute to two decades of light-based innovation.

Keynote speeches included insights from Gustav Kalbe, Acting Director at DG CNECT, European Commission, and Michael Förtsch, CEO of Q.ANT GmbH, who discussed ‘Beyond Silicon: Photonics as the Key to Europe’s AI Leadership.’ A fireside chat moderated by Maryline Fiaschi, CEO of Science|Business, delved into the future of photonics within the European funding ecosystem.​

This year’s Photonics21 Innovation Award – the annual prize recognising outstanding early-career researchers developing commercially promising photonics-based solutions – was awarded to Victor Rodriguez, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Optics (IO-CSIC) in Madrid.

Rodriguez was recognised for his work on SureVision, a breakthrough method for fast and precise vision prescriptions. Based on a new Direct Subjective Refraction (DSR) technique, SureVision uses a tunable lens and chromatic flicker perception to determine a patient’s prescription without relying on traditional letter charts.

Rodriguez’s method significantly reduces measurement time – by up to five times – while doubling precision, offering a more efficient and accessible approach to eye care. The award was presented by Photonics21 President Lutz Aschke and Roberta Ramponi, Chair of the Selection Committee.

The second day focused on funding opportunities, featuring presentations by Werner Steinhögl, Head of Sector Microelectronics & Photonics Industry at DG CONNECT, and Yves Gigase, Head of Programmes at Chips JU, the EU’s joint undertaking supporting semiconductor innovation. Valerio Pruneri from ICFO also introduced PIXEurope, a new pilot line initiative aimed at accelerating the industrialisation of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) in Europe.

Workshops were held to develop the Photonics Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for FP10. Participants across seven work groups led by experts from organisations such as III-V Lab, Trumpf, Leibniz IPHT, Magna Sweden, Thales, B-Phot, and UCL collaborated to ensure that photonics will be well-represented in the next framework programme. The meeting concluded with a plenary session outlining the next steps for the photonics community.