Duration: 2025-28
Acronym: Phactory
PI Name: P O’Brien
Topic: Packaging
Title: PhotonHub Factory for Next-Generation Photonics Innovation Support: Boosting European Industrial Competitiveness and securing Technological Sovereignty

Coordinator: VUB (Belgium)
Total Participants: 36
Contribution: € 452K€
Instrument: Horizon Europe
Key partners: VUB (Be), IMEC (Be), Fraunhofer(DE), III-V Labs (Fr), Lionix (NL), Polimi (It), CEA (Fr)

PHACTORY is a unique pan-European consortium operating as a one-stop-shop virtual factory for photonics innovation support of European industry. PHACTORY brings together over 30 partners representing Europe’s top competence centers in photonics. Together the
PHACTORY partners offer open streamlined access to the full spectrum of photonics technologies, expertise and supply chain activities from TRL2-7 including pilot lines and PIC foundries, combined with specialist partners in business, investment, intellectual property,
and EU manufacturing support services to maximize the commercial impact from the project. PHACTORY’s ambitious work plan builds on the proven track record of over 20 years of successful collaboration between the consortium partners in previous similar EU projects
and aims to go well beyond the current state-of-the-art in terms of its impact.
The PHACTORY project will simultaneously strengthen the European photonics innovation ecosystem with more complete and mature value chains linked to EU manufacturing which are integrated into the PhotonHub Association for sustainability of the innovation support
services. IPIC’s role is in providing support for collaborative cross-border innovation projects.