B-Phot Brussels Photonics is a self-supporting research and innovation institute of the Faculty of Engineering of Vrije Universiteit Brussel with 35 years of experience in photonics education, research and innovation. In the Photonics Innovation Center several technology platforms are available to support innovation, ranging from high-end manufacturing technologies for optical components to characterization and demonstration setups for photonic systems.

The mission of BRIGHT Photonics is making PIC technology accessible to product developers and researchers. Photonics is exiting! It provides novel solutions and revolutionizes the world we live in. They operate as an intermediate company between foundry services and application developers. Their ambition is being the “in house” partner on the path from application idea to packaged PIC prototype, or anywhere along this path where you need it.

CSEM (PHABULOµS) is the European one-stop shop for the manufacturing of free-form micro-optics by UV replication technologies, offering accelerated innovation & production cycles from prototypes to piloting and large volume production. PHABULOµS objective is to accelerate the validation of technologies & processes (with selected use cases), to validate the services of the pilot line (with pilot cases) and eventually establish a unique legal entity as one-stop shop.

CEA-Leti's photonic platform is developing next-generation optical components and systems for telecommunications, cybersecurity, health, and augmented reality. It relies on unique equipment in Europe and includes 300 researchers. CEA-Leti’s teams support the innovation needs of industrial partners throughout all development stages via bilateral contracts or common laboratories. The platform adjoins industrial facilities where manufacturing processes are validated, supporting the transfer of innovative and competitive solutions to the industry.

Fraunhofer IPMS develops devices and photonic integrated circuits based on silicon nitride waveguides. By using tailor-made technologies, Fraunhofer IPMS offers the possibility to monolithically integrate waveguides with CMOS devices and to design them with low losses. Unique opportunities arise from the possibility to combine silicon nitride waveguides with liquid crystal waveguides, where a specific electrode configuration can lead to new programmable devices for different applications.

Imec is a world-leading R&D hub for nano- and digital technologies. It’s home to more than 5,000 researchers and hosts a first-class infrastructure – including the world’s most advanced 300mm cleanroom for research purposes. On top of that, it’s at the heart of the deep-tech ecosystem, connecting partners from the realms of industry and academia. Since its inception in 1984, imec has launched over 40 spin-offs and contributed to the success of startups such as Axelera AI, Xanadu and Biotelemetry. It welcomes truly disruptive ideas and guides them to commercial maturity. That includes the development, prototyping, low-volume manufacturing and even mass production of ASICs, advanced technologies, and complex microdevices. Finally, imec knows that start-and scale-ups need more than technology. Its venturing teams offer business support, access to talent and even funding – both through imec’s own investment funds and through its network of deep-tech investors.

SMART Photonics offers solutions for data and telecommunication, as well as for sensing – such as Lidar – and medical applications. They are an independent pure-play foundry – producing high-end Photonic Integrated Circuits for customers. They look for innovative solutions from proof of concept to full production.

Tyndall develop original photonic devices for existing and new applications, building their own lasers and photodetectors in a fabrication laboratory using their designs resulting in devices that they can test and use. Tyndall are seeking to integrate their devices together on a common platform as is done in electronics. Much of the research is conducted with their industrial partners.

VLC Photonics is a fabless company that offers different solutions exploiting the advantages of photonic integrated circuits (PICs). They are able to provide either turn-key solutions making use of photonic integration or specific services along the whole development process. VLC Photonics offers its services to several companies and researchers from different fields like: telecom/datacom, sensing, quantum, metrology, LIDAR, Biophotonics.