Europe's ambition to become a global leader in photonic chips took a significant step forward at the PIXEurope Connect – Industry Ecosystem Building Day in Barcelona. More than 300 representatives from industry, academia and government, including members of Cambridge Graphene Centre (CGC), gathered to discuss the future of integrated photonics and the role of the €400 million PIXEurope Pilot Line, of which the CGC is a part.
The event provided one of the clearest pictures yet of how PIXEurope plans to accelerate the commercialisation of photonic integrated circuits (PICs), while strengthening Europe's technological sovereignty in a sector increasingly viewed as critical for AI, communications, sensing and quantum technologies.
Open-access services and technology platforms unveiled
A central highlight was an update from PIXEurope Director Valerio Pruneri, who outlined the Pilot Line's technology offering and operational roadmap. Designed to bridge the gap between laboratory research and industrial deployment, PIXEurope brings together 20 partner institutions across 11 countries to provide access to a wide range of photonic technologies.
The Pilot Line will support both established and emerging material platforms, including silicon, silicon nitride, indium phosphide, silicon carbide and advanced hybrid technologies incorporating lithium niobate, graphene and other two-dimensional materials.
Attendees also heard details of five open-access service lines covering prototyping, infrastructure access, training, collaborative R&D and consultancy. Existing partner infrastructure will become accessible from November 2026, with new Pilot Line facilities being introduced from 2027 and full multi-project wafer capabilities expected by 2028.
Industry identifies challenges and opportunities
Three industry panels highlighted the key challenges facing European photonics as it moves towards large-scale manufacturing.
Participants repeatedly identified packaging, testing and process standardisation as some of the most significant barriers to growth. While Europe is widely recognised for its research excellence and advanced equipment capabilities, speakers stressed that manufacturing scale-up, automation and improved coordination across the supply chain will be essential to compete globally.
Industry representatives also emphasised the importance of reducing time-to-market, improving technology transfer between research organisations and companies, and ensuring reliable access to foundry services. Training emerged as another major priority, with PIXEurope planning a programme of 46 courses spanning the entire PIC manufacturing value chain and targeting around 1,000 users annually by 2028.
Strong political backing for photonics
The event also demonstrated strong institutional support for the sector. Representatives from the European Commission, Chips Joint Undertaking and Spanish and Catalan governments all highlighted photonics as a strategic technology for Europe's future competitiveness.
Several speakers pointed to the need for Europe to convert its research leadership into industrial capacity, with PIXEurope positioned as a key component of wider European efforts under the Chips Act to secure critical technologies and strengthen supply chain resilience.
The discussions made clear that Europe already possesses many of the technological building blocks required for leadership in photonic chips. The focus now is on building the manufacturing, training and innovation ecosystem needed to turn that potential into industrial impact.
A full summary article from the event is available on LinkedIn.
By Dr Karen Steward