Market Insight
Facing the scaling challenge Of course, the path to mass adoption is not without obstacles. Throughout the Summit, we returned to the industry’s most pressing technical challenges: packaging, design standardisation, and manufacturability. Without unifi ed design workfl ows, interoperable process design kits (PDKs), and scalable packaging solutions, integrated photonics risks remaining trapped in prototyping rather than production. Foundries and device developers alike called for ecosystem-wide alignment, and I fully share that sense of urgency. Scaling will only happen if we tackle these challenges together.
A new model for innovation: PhotonStudio
To help accelerate market-driven innovation, we announced the launch of PhotonStudio, a new initiative by PhotonDelta in collaboration with venture builder Gritd. PhotonStudio flips the traditional deep- tech model on its head. Instead of starting with a chip, it starts with a real-world problem and then builds a photonics-based solution around it. Notably, PhotonStudio takes no equity. Our goal is to de-risk the entrepreneurial journey and strengthen the commercialisation pipeline across sectors
such as healthcare, mobility, and energy. By doing so, we aim to reduce fragmentation and shorten the path from idea to impact.
Europe’s strategic moment Two keynote sessions underscored how seriously integrated photonics is now being taken at the European level. Gustav Kalbe of the European Commission positioned photonics as a strategic technology, sharing forecasts of market growth from €1.9 billion in 2024 to €7.2 billion by 2031. At the same time, he warned of fragmentation: Europe’s ecosystem is dominated by SMEs, with dispersed capabilities and limited access to scale-up funding.
His message resonated strongly. If Europe wants to maintain strategic autonomy, we must coordinate better, stabilise policy, and invest decisively in scaling.
Valerio Pruneri, director at ICFO & ICREA PIXEurope, outlined a concrete step in that direction: a new EU pilot line in Eindhoven - the fifth in Europe - bringing together 20 RTOs across 11 countries. Focused on applications such as AI, LiDAR, and secure communications, this pilot line will integrate platforms including silicon nitride, indium phosphide, and lithium
niobate. Its open-access model promises to help startups and manufacturers move from lab to fab using proven, scalable processes.
Together, these initiatives signal Europe’s determination not only to innovate, but to build industrial resilience and strategic independence.
Conclusion: from promise to purpose Photonic chips have reached their inflection point. What began as an emerging research
field is rapidly becoming the backbone of next-generation technologies. PIC Summit Europe 2025 confirmed for me that our industry is ready to scale, to collaborate, and most importantly, to deliver. The next phase is not just about chips. It is about systems, solutions, and ecosystems that turn capability into impact. The future isn’t merely approaching - it is already being built, one photon at a time.
https://www.photondelta.com/
In addition to the regular users of the CIE website we get 12,500 new users every year across the globe from Japan to the USA, from China to Germany and many more.
Want to be part of the action? Then contact: Tony Patman | 01622 687031 |
tpatman@cieonline.co.uk www.cieonline.co.uk Jordan Tait | 01622 699 139 |
jtait@cieonline.co.uk Components in Electronics December/January 2026 15
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