European Photonics Industry Consortium

The European Photonics Industry Consortium, commonly known as EPIC, is a European not-for-profit industry association focused on strengthening the photonics sector. Headquartered in Paris, France, it brings together companies, research institutions, universities and other stakeholders working with light-based technologies. Its activities are intended to improve cooperation across the photonics value chain, increase the recognition of photonics as a strategic technology, support commercial opportunities and contribute to employment for scientists, engineers and other specialists. EPIC was founded in 2003 by T. P. Pearsall. Its five founding company members were Aixtron, CDT, Osram, Philips and Sagem. The consortium was established at a time when photonics was increasingly being applied beyond conventional optics and lighting, including in optical communications, lasers, sensors, displays, manufacturing and life-science instruments. Rather than operating as a manufacturer or selling a branded product portfolio, EPIC functions as an industry platform. It organizes workshops and symposia, develops market and technology studies, supports partnering, circulates sector information and helps members coordinate initiatives intended to influence industrial development. The association's areas of interest include LEDs and OLEDs for lighting and displays, optical-fiber telecommunications, laser manufacturing, sensors, photovoltaics and photonics applications in the life sciences. These fields span components, materials, devices, systems and manufacturing technologies. Photonics itself covers the generation, manipulation, transmission and detection of light, including technologies based on optical, wave and particle approaches. EPIC's work therefore connects businesses involved in optoelectronics with adjacent fields such as nanotechnology, semiconductor manufacturing, telecommunications, automotive systems and biomedical technology. One of EPIC's notable policy initiatives was its proposal in 2004 for a European technology platform devoted to photonics. Working with other European organizations, EPIC members helped develop a shared vision for photonics as a technology capable of enabling advances in communications, life sciences, manufacturing, lighting, displays, sensors and education. The European Commission accepted the vision and established the Photonics21 platform at the end of 2005. EPIC also participated in the MONA project between 2005 and 2007, which examined the relationship between photonics and nanotechnologies and produced a roadmap for moving research concepts toward industrial-scale capabilities. The consortium has additionally supported practical exchanges between research groups and industry. The ACCORD project, initiated in 2007, was designed to acquire prototype photonics components and systems from small and medium-sized enterprises and make them available to university research groups through competitive proposals. The later NEXPRESSO initiative continued this general model of facilitating access to components for photonics research and development. EPIC also organized the LIFT consortium, bringing together companies, smaller businesses and research laboratories to pursue higher-brilliance fiber-laser technologies. A related proposal for European support was accepted and the project began in 2009. EPIC's workshops have addressed specific commercial and technical opportunities, including photonics in automobiles, OLED infrastructure, laser-assisted manufacturing, optical components for broadband communications, LED manufacturing and silicon photonics. Some of these activities were conducted with SPIE and resulted in publicly available proceedings or synthesis documents. The association also coordinates internationally through membership in the International Optoelectronics Association. Its membership has grown from the five founding companies to more than 500 companies, research organizations, universities and other photonics stakeholders, according to the referenced encyclopedia material. Current executive leadership, financial data, ownership structure and detailed operating metrics are not established by the supplied sources.

EPIC was established in 2003 in Paris as a not-for-profit association serving the photonics industry. T. P. Pearsall founded the organization with five company members: Aixtron, CDT, Osram, Philips and Sagem. Its formation reflected the growing importance of photonics as a cross-disciplinary industrial field encompassing lighting, optical communications, lasers, sensing, displays, photovoltaics and life-science applications. In 2004, EPIC proposed the creation of a European technology platform for photonics to the European Commission. EPIC members worked with other European organizations to articulate a common technology vision covering telecommunications, life sciences, manufacturing, lighting, displays, sensors and education. This work contributed to the establishment of the Photonics21 platform at the end of 2005. From 2005 to 2007, EPIC and its members participated in the MONA project, which examined synergies between photonics and nanotechnologies. The project sought to identify industrial opportunities and create a roadmap for progressing from research and development toward industrial control of nanoelectronics and nanophotonics technologies. Beginning in 2007, EPIC initiated the ACCORD project. Its model involved purchasing prototype photonics components and systems from small and medium-sized enterprises and awarding them to university research groups through competitive proposals. NEXPRESSO subsequently followed ACCORD as a related component-exchange initiative intended to support photonics research and development. EPIC also organized and led the LIFT consortium, bringing together 20 companies, small and medium-sized enterprises and research laboratories in a proposal for new high-brilliance fiber-laser technologies. The associated European project was accepted and began in 2009. Alongside these collaborative programs, EPIC developed workshops and symposia on commercial and technical opportunities, including automotive photonics, OLED infrastructure, laser-assisted manufacturing, broadband optical components, LED manufacturing and silicon photonics. Several events were developed with SPIE and produced published proceedings. The association expanded from its original five corporate members to a network reported in the supplied reference material as exceeding 500 companies, research organizations, universities and other stakeholders. EPIC also coordinates internationally through membership in the International Optoelectronics Association. It remains an industry and collaboration organization rather than a manufacturer, retailer or publicly listed corporation. The supplied sources do not establish a complete chronology of later governance, current leadership, revenue or membership figures.

• 2009

  LIFT fiber-laser project begins

  [1]European Photonics Industry Consortiumen.wikipedia.org

  A European project associated with EPIC's LIFT consortium began work on technologies for higher-brilliance fiber lasers.

• 2007

  ACCORD and NEXPRESSO component-exchange work

  [1]European Photonics Industry Consortiumen.wikipedia.org

  EPIC initiated ACCORD to connect prototype components from smaller photonics companies with university research groups; NEXPRESSO later continued this type of exchange.

• 2005

  Photonics21 established

  [1]European Photonics Industry Consortiumen.wikipedia.org

  The European Commission established the Photonics21 platform at the end of 2005 following the development of a shared European photonics vision involving EPIC members and partner organizations.

• 2005

  MONA project begins

  [1]European Photonics Industry Consortiumen.wikipedia.org

  EPIC and its members began work on MONA, a project examining links between photonics and nanotechnologies and preparing an industrial technology roadmap.

• 2004

  Proposal for a European photonics technology platform

  [1]European Photonics Industry Consortiumen.wikipedia.org

  EPIC proposed to the European Commission that Europe create a technology platform dedicated to photonics and worked with other organizations to develop the platform's strategic vision.

• 2003

  EPIC founded

  [1]European Photonics Industry Consortiumen.wikipedia.org

  T. P. Pearsall founded the European Photonics Industry Consortium in Paris with Aixtron, CDT, Osram, Philips and Sagem as the five founding company members.

A membership-based European industry association and collaboration platform for photonics, positioned between industry, research organizations, universities and public technology-policy institutions.

• European technology platform · 2005

  Photonics21

  Photonics21 is a European technology-platform initiative developed with EPIC participation to give photonics a coordinated strategic role in European technology policy and industrial planning. Its scope covers communications, life sciences, manufacturing, lighting, displays, sensors and education.

• Technology roadmap · 2005

  MONA roadmap

  The MONA project examined the convergence of photonics and nanotechnologies. Its intended output was a roadmap identifying industrial opportunities and pathways from research and development toward industrial-scale nanoelectronics and nanophotonics capabilities.

• Research-industry exchange initiative · 2007

  NEXPRESSO

  NEXPRESSO is a component-exchange initiative that followed the ACCORD project. It supported photonics research by helping university and research groups obtain prototype components and systems developed by smaller industrial suppliers.

• Collaborative fiber-laser project · 2009

  LIFT

  LIFT was an EPIC-organized consortium involving companies, small and medium-sized enterprises and research laboratories. Its project proposal focused on technologies for higher-brilliance fiber lasers and was accepted for European support, with work beginning in 2009.

• 2009LIFT

  Europe · Fiber lasers · Industrial laser technology

  EPIC organized a 20-member consortium to pursue European support for higher-brilliance fiber-laser technology development.

  Outcome. The project was accepted and began in 2009.

  Source
• 2007ACCORD and NEXPRESSO

  Europe · Photonics research and development

  EPIC created mechanisms to move prototype photonics components and systems from smaller companies into university and research environments through competitive allocation.

  Outcome. NEXPRESSO followed ACCORD as a related research-component exchange initiative.

  Source
• 2005MONA

  Europe · Nanotechnology · Photonics

  EPIC and its members participated in a project studying the relationship between photonics and nanotechnology and identifying opportunities for industrial development.

  Outcome. A public roadmap was completed, according to the supplied reference material.

  Source
• 2004European technology platform for photonics

  Europe · Photonics policy and industrial technology

  EPIC proposed a European technology platform and helped coordinate a sector-wide vision intended to make photonics a recognized strategic technology across communications, life sciences, manufacturing, lighting, displays, sensors and education.

  Outcome. The European Commission established Photonics21 at the end of 2005.

  Source

• 2007

  Create an industry-to-research prototype exchangeStrategy

  Background

  University researchers needed access to emerging photonics components and systems, while smaller companies needed practical routes to demonstrate their prototypes.

  Action taken

  EPIC initiated ACCORD, under which prototype components and systems were purchased from smaller companies and awarded to university research groups through competitive proposals; NEXPRESSO later followed.

  Aftermath

  The initiatives established a structured form of cooperation between photonics suppliers and research users, although the supplied sources do not provide later performance metrics.

  Source

• 2004

  Advocate for a European photonics technology platformStrategy

  Background

  EPIC sought to improve recognition of photonics as a strategic technology and to coordinate European industrial and research priorities.

  Action taken

  The consortium proposed a European Commission technology platform and helped develop its cross-sector vision.

  Aftermath

  Photonics21 was established at the end of 2005.

  Source

1. 1European Photonics Industry Consortiumen.wikipedia.org
2. 2European Photonics Industry Consortium official websiteepic-assoc.com