PhotonDelta, a cross-border ecosystem of photonic chip technology organizations,secured €1.1 billion in public and private investment. This includes €470 million from the National Growth Fund of the Netherlands, while the rest is co-invested by various partners and stakeholders.
The aim is to transform the Netherlands into the leader of the next generation of semiconductors and photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
The programme will run for six years and will enable PhotonDelta and its partners to further invest in photonic startups and scaleups, expand production and research facilities, attract and train talent, drive adoption, and develop a world-class design library. Currently, the PhotonDelta ecosystem currently consists of 26 companies, 11 technology partners and 12 R&D partners. The organization has jointly invested €171 million in promising photonics companies including Smart Photonics, PhotonsFirst, Surfix, MicroAlign, Solmates and Effect Photonics.
By 2030, PhotonDelta aims to have created an ecosystem with hundreds of companies, serving customers worldwide and a wafer production capacity of 100,000+ per year.
Ewit Roos, CEO at PhotonDelta, said: "This investment is a game-changer. It will make the Netherlands the home of the next generation of semiconductors which will have a profound impact. The ongoing chip shortage highlights the pressing need to create its own production capabilities for strategic technologies. We will now be able to support hundreds of startups, researchers, producers and innovators to boost this industry that will be as impactful as the introduction of microelectronics a few decades ago."
"The Netherlands is considered a pioneer in the development of PIC technology, and thanks to the continuous support from the Dutch government, we have been able to build a full supply-chain around it that is globally recognised as a hotspot for photonic integration."
"Photonic chips are one of the most important technological breakthroughs of the last decade. Not only do they allow for the creation of devices that are faster, cheaper, more powerful and greener - they also enable radical new innovations like affordable point-of-care diagnostics or quantum computing to become a reality."
The PhotonDelta proposal has been submitted by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate Policy in close collaboration with Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), University of Twente (UT), Delft University of Technology (TUD), Holst Centre, TNO, IMEC, PITC, CITC, Holst Centre, OnePlanet, Smart Photonics,Lionix International, Effect Photonics, MantiSpectra, PhotonFirst, Phix, and Bright Photonics.
