November 7, 2023, Amsterdam - Executives from Europe's largest photon computing chip companies are calling on the European Union to provide €4.25 billion (approximately $4.54 billion) in funding to help them compete with their counterparts in Asia and the United States. Photon semiconductors perform computations using light rather than electrons, offering speed and power efficiency advantages, making them increasingly valuable in data centers and automotive applications.
During a summit held in Eindhoven, the group presented an eight-year plan to EU officials aimed at supporting and establishing a European supply chain, as well as ensuring access to manufacturing sites for testing runs by smaller companies.
"Currently, the EU has a vibrant and growing comprehensive photonics industry, but it lacks the scale for manufacturing, testing, and packaging, leaving us vulnerable under policies set by global events and competitive nations," said John Weinstein, CEO of SMART Photonics.
The EU had previously categorized photonics as a strategic technology and identified it as a potential area for funding support in the €43 billion chip act passed in April, though the actual allocation of resources for photon computing remains unclear.
SMART is a contract manufacturer of photon chips and secured a $110 million investment in July, with funding coming from the Dutch government, chip manufacturer NXP, as well as equipment makers ASML and VDL Groep to expand its operations. Currently, the majority of photon chips, like most chips, are manufactured in Asia, with critical intellectual property held in the United States.
The statement highlighted that Europe's manufacturing capabilities are relatively low, and it relies excessively on Asia for manufacturing and packaging, posing a threat to the EU's economic security and resilience.
The call is expected to spark discussions within the EU about supporting photon computing technology to enhance Europe's competitiveness in this field."
During a summit held in Eindhoven, the group presented an eight-year plan to EU officials aimed at supporting and establishing a European supply chain, as well as ensuring access to manufacturing sites for testing runs by smaller companies.
"Currently, the EU has a vibrant and growing comprehensive photonics industry, but it lacks the scale for manufacturing, testing, and packaging, leaving us vulnerable under policies set by global events and competitive nations," said John Weinstein, CEO of SMART Photonics.
The EU had previously categorized photonics as a strategic technology and identified it as a potential area for funding support in the €43 billion chip act passed in April, though the actual allocation of resources for photon computing remains unclear.
SMART is a contract manufacturer of photon chips and secured a $110 million investment in July, with funding coming from the Dutch government, chip manufacturer NXP, as well as equipment makers ASML and VDL Groep to expand its operations. Currently, the majority of photon chips, like most chips, are manufactured in Asia, with critical intellectual property held in the United States.
The statement highlighted that Europe's manufacturing capabilities are relatively low, and it relies excessively on Asia for manufacturing and packaging, posing a threat to the EU's economic security and resilience.
The call is expected to spark discussions within the EU about supporting photon computing technology to enhance Europe's competitiveness in this field."
