Hello from the roadtrip with another exclusive Optica episode of feature interviews we’re releasing this summer. Its all designed to trigger important discussion points for the Global Photonics Economic Forum in Malaga, Spain October 1st and 2nd. Remember when Photonics was difficult for politicians to say?
It's amazing to recall that two years ago, on July 28th 2022, the US Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act, a 280 billion dollar package that includes $52 billion in funding for companies that manufacture semiconductor chips in the USA. The same act allocates a further $200 billion for scientific research into artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum computing, and other cutting-edge fields. As President Joe Biden steps aside to make way for Kamala Harris, we will be closely monitoring the success of those investments in Semicon and its effects on photonics.
Meanwhile in Europe, a similar Chips Act is now law in 27 countries. A much smaller €43 billion of policy-driven investment will support the European Chips Act until 2030, which will be broadly matched by long-term private investment.

But now we know only 340 million is set aside for direct investment in photonics. So, let's look at how some of that money is spent.

For my next summer safari, I took the slow train from Brussels and then a 100-euro Uber ride to a suburb of the village of Gooik. Our destination was the Photonics Innovation Center, run by the Free University of Brussels (VUB).

Its founder Hugo Thienpont is well known for his pioneering work to establish ACTMOST, ACTPHAST and now PhotonHub Europe. He has a clear, practical vision of why Europe should invest more in photonics. Watch his explanation of what they do for the industry with some amazing equipment I have never seen in any other research facility.

My thanks also to Optica Ambassador Dr Tate Chalyan, Professor Jurgen van Eerps and Jan Watte for the grand tour of the facilities and the warm welcome. What a wonderful trip.

If you want more info on what Optica member PhotonHub can do for you, and what you can do for them, drop me a line from wherever in the world your office happens to be. Now, back to the airport towards my next stop….


And the last person we met was Jan Watte, very well known for his work at Commscope. So what does he do now?

What an amazing experience it has been to revisit VUB 23 years after I studied there!

Jurgen van Erps
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Tatevik Chalyan
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Jan Watte
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