Why Photonics Needs One Strong European Voice
The appointment of EPIC by Photonics21 to lead the Secretariat is more than an administrative change. It is a structural shift that allows the 10th European Framework Programme (FP10) priorities to be focused on the areas where Europe can create the newest high‑tech jobs, a true strategy that aligns technological excellence with economic impact. It is a milestone for our field, and a foundation for what must come next.
When we founded Photonics Austria, the objective was not simply to create another association. It was to make photonics visible.
Every year, on the International Day of Light, we organize events across Austria to bring photonics closer to the public. And every year, we see the same pattern: people know solar cells, displays, broadband internet. But only few realize that all of this is photonics. The technology is everywhere in modern life, yet the term itself remains strangely invisible. Compared to microelectronics —a field everyone can name, picture, and describe— photonics still struggles to be perceived as the key enabling technology it truly is.
Part of the reason lies in the nature of our field. Microelectronics is dominated by CMOS and the concept of the chip. Photonics, on the other hand, is a constellation of parallel worlds: different material systems, different technologies, different applications. Even a single photonic chip often requires two fundamentally different material platforms: one for generating light, another for guiding and processing it. Fragmentation is not a weakness of photonics; it is its essence. But it also makes it harder to speak with one voice.
This fragmentation is reflected in the way Europe organizes its photonics ecosystem. National photonics platforms emerged first, each with the mission to strengthen visibility, coordinate stakeholders, and develop strategic roadmaps. These structures have been essential for building strong local communities. But they also have limits. Photonics is global. Its challenges and opportunities do not stop at national borders.
On the European level, two organizations have played central roles in bringing these voices together: EPIC and Photonics21.
EPIC demonstrated that the European photonics industry can speak with one voice. It built a community that spans the entire value chain, from startups to global leaders, and created a platform where companies collaborate, learn, and grow together. Photonics21, as the Public‑Private Partnership between the European Commission and the photonics community, has shaped the strategic priorities of Europe’s research and innovation programs for nearly two decades.
I had the privilege of serving simultaneously on the EPIC Board of Directors and the Photonics21 Executive Board. Seeing both strategy processes from the inside made one thing very clear: Europe benefits enormously when these two organizations work closely together. Their perspectives are complementary. Their strengths reinforce each other. Their collaboration closes gaps that neither could address alone.
This is why the appointment of EPIC by Photonics21 to lead the Secretariat is so important. It will be more than an administrative change. It will be a structural shift that allows the 10th European Framework Programme (FP10) priorities to be focused on the areas where Europe can create the newest high‑tech jobs, a true strategy that aligns technological excellence with economic impact. It is a milestone for our field, and a foundation for what must come next.
Because the next step is crucial.
Europe is preparing this next Framework Programme right now. Priorities will be redefined. Funding structures will be reshaped. New strategic directions will be set. In this moment of transition, photonics cannot afford to appear fragmented. We must not present ourselves as dozens of national platforms, clusters, and associations, each with its own message. We must show that we are one community: diverse in expertise, but united in purpose.
To achieve this, national photonics platforms need to be connected more closely with EPIC. Not to replace their local missions, but to amplify them. Not to centralize decision‑making, but to coordinate communication. Not to reduce diversity, but to turn it into strength. Europe already has outstanding technology. What we need now is a structure that allows us to express our collective potential clearly, confidently, and consistently.
Photonics has earned its place as a key enabling technology for Europe’s future. But recognition is not guaranteed. It must be claimed. And it must be communicated.
Europe already has outstanding technology.
Now we need to speak with one voice.
Heinz Seyringer, Chairman of Photonics Austria
