Implementing the European Photonics21 PPP strategy

Project Information

EuroPho21

Grant agreement ID: 643995

DOI

10.3030/643995

Project closed

EC signature date 18 December 2014

Start date 1 January 2015

End date 31 December 2017

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

Total cost

€ 2 986 498,25

EU contribution

€ 2 848 990,75

Coordinated by

VDI TECHNOLOGIEZENTRUM GMBH
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - EuroPho21 (Implementing the European Photonics21 PPP strategy)

Reporting period: 2017-01-01 to 2017-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The EuroPho21 project provides the central support to the Horizon2020 Photonics21 Public Private Partnership (PPP) strategy development and implementation. The project ensures a broad involvement and representation of the European Photonics community in the PPP by applying fully democratic principles for the Board representation and open and transparent decision making in terms of strategy development including the determination of Photonics PPP call priorities for the Horizon2020 Photonics KET work programmes. Europho21 furthermore strives to establish a network of regional Digital Innovation Hubs in Photonics closely linked to the Photonics PPP activities like Actphast or pilot lines to offer end-to-end prototyping and pilot manufacturing services to end user industry. Through the involvement of 12 Photonics National Technology Platforms representing more than 30 regional clusters it will maximize the PPP impact by overcoming the current fragmentation of the photonics ecosystem. By improving the recognition of photonics at member state level EuroPho21 prepares the ground for cross-member state strategy implementation through joint or coordinated calls. Finally, through a centrally provided public relation and dissemination service EuroPho21 supports H2020 Photonics projects to reach out to end user industry as new potential customers.

To this end the EuroPho21 Coordination and Support Action pursues following three main objectives:

• Objective 1: Photonics strategy development & implementation – reinforce value chains to build up manufacturing in Europe
• Objective 2: Establish close cooperation between the photonics community and the end user industry
• Objective 3: Link up regional, national and European funding for photonics in Europe

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Photonics PPP Strategy development – Photonics community research and innovation priorities for the Horizon2020 work programmes 2016-17 and 2018-20
About 1000 attendants participated the European Photonics PPP strategy processes Meetings conducted by the EuroPho21 projects. Outcomes of the meetings were shared with all 3000 Photonics21 members and feedback was requested to be included in the further process. The overall strategy development process follows a clear and transparent process that was agreed and published before the process started. The strategy development process and decision making principles are publically available at the Photonics21 website.

EuroPho21 reached out to more than 900 end-user industry representatives to accelerate deployment
EuroPho21 has conducted 21 regional workshops reaching out to more than 900 end-user industry experts. The approach of Europho21 is to conduct these workshops either in regions with a strong end-user industry presence or link it to end-user industry events.

Two Horizon 2020 “Societal Challenge” programme areas identified for closer cooperation with the Photonics PPP
EuroPho21 organized a dedicated community event to establish closer ties with with the communities and managers of the “Societal Challenges” Programme of H2020. Subsequent to the kick-off event the project identified those Societal Challenges Programmes areas that are a. most relevant for Photonics and b. open for collaboration. The Process industry (SPIRE PPP) and Health Programme were identified as focus areas for future collaboration.

Link up the Horizon2020 Photonics PPP actions with member states and regions to maximize impact of the Photonics PPP

The EuroPho21 consortium conducted so far more than 50 meetings with national ministries in 12 member states to prepare the ground for joint strategic programming in the field of Photonics linked to the H2020 Photonics PPP strategy. An ERANET Co-fund on “Photonics Sensing” was established in 2016 by 10 member states. Moreover, EuroPho21 partners worked towards regional authorities to establish a network of regional Digital Innovation Hubs in Photonics providing a coordinated prototyping and networking services to end user industry that is linked to the PPP pilot line and prototyping activities. In the first phase of the project, the project analysed relevant regions with a strong footprint and facilities in photonics. In the second phase a joint meeting with regional authorities was conducted defining the scope and role of Digital Innovation Hubs. In the third year EuroPho21 built a Interregional Photonics Alliance in the framework of smart specialization strategy of the European Commission. Following this work, the regions of North-Brabant (South Netherlands) and Flanders (Belgium) were convinced to lead the photonics initiative in the framework of the S3 platform.

Coordinate the Horizon2020 Photonics KET CSA projects to maximize impact of the PPP
Horizon2020 Photonics KET Coordination and Support Actions represent strategic projects to help implementing the Photonics PPP strategy. These projects support SMEs, regional authorities, clusters or reach out to end–user industry. A coordinated approach to pool services and materialize synergies will have a strong impact of the overall Photonics PPP impact. EuroPho21 started to analyse the respective work packages of the projects and identified synergies among them. Through monthly coordination, joint actions were defined and were implemented in the 3rd year of the project. Similar coordination is currently conducted for the Photonics PPP Pilot Line projects. The European Commission is leading this activity.

Photonics PPP project impact stories reach out to more than 60 Mio readers
EuroPho21 offers a central PR and dissemination service for H2020 Photonics KET (PPP) projects to foster the deployment of photonics in end-user industry and communicate about the impact of photonics to the general public. The activity has resulted in over 540 articles in newspapers, end-user trade magazines, and websites in more than 25 countries. Highlights have included coverage in The Times, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, BBC News, as well as major national and international titles in Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, France, China, Japan, and the USA.

Several studies have been conducted during this three year of the EuroPho21 project. Among these a PPP impact report, Photonics Market Study and a Photonics Vision Paper towards FP9.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Re-inforce value chains and employoment of photonics technologies by closer cooperation of key photonics stakeholders and users in areas of common interest:

Through Europho21 a truly community owned European industrial photonics strategy was prepared and implemented. By providing trusted open, transparent and democratic decision making structures more than 3000 Photonics21 members are involved in the process. Over and above the direct impact on the Horizon2020 programming the additional Impact is that thousands of European photonics organisations share a joint strategy that will give the same major R&I directions to each participating making the Overall photonics ecosystem more efficient to compete on a global scale.

By doing this, new solutions have been developed that responded to the societal challenges Europe is currently facing. Industry 4.0 Smart Farming or resource scarcity will not be managed successfully without photonics as a key enabling technology. EuroPho21 was fostering the deployment of photonics in end user industry to make these industries more competitive and create new value chains.

Photonics21 Student Innovation Award 2016

Meeting Photonics21 Executive Board with G.H. Oettinger

Photonics PPP R&I Prioritiy Setting Process 2018 -2020

Photonics PPP Annual Meeting 2016

Photonics PPP Annual Meeting 2016