Photonics21 Releases Industry Report for EU FP9 Funding

European business organization Photonics21 has released an industry report that details what could be achieved by 2030 if the photonics sector continues to remain a key funding priority by the European Union in Framework Program 9 (FP9).

The paper was created through consultation with more than 1,700 photonics companies and research organizations. The paper demonstrates how photonics is critical to enabling a future where driverless vehicles can eradicate road accidents, where advanced health care diagnostics allow instant detection of disease, and where industrial production will be revolutionized, creating 1 million new jobs by 2030.

"The Photonics21 Vision Paper highlights what Europe could achieve if we have continued support from the EU through FP9: sustained economic growth, up to 1 million new jobs, improved health care and a driverless vehicle revolution,” said Aldo Kamper, president of Photonics21. “The photon will do for the 21st century what the electron did for the 20th. We are already at the forefront of this technological revolution: harnessing the power of light to solve our greatest global challenges.”

The group sees photonics furthering its role in multimodal transport, advanced diagnostics, health monitoring, industrial production and sustainable food chains.

“If Europe can stay at the forefront of photonics innovation and capitalize on fast-expanding global markets, a tripling of European production to more than €200 billion by 2030 is realistic,” Kamper said. “We are taking a proactive stance, but in order to achieve these goals, a number of specific measures will be needed. A European strategy for photonics leadership must be created and implemented.”

Photonics21 is the European Technology Platform for photonics.