Companies developing photonics-based products for the Medical Technology, Pharmaceutical, Agriculture and Food markets face specific Go-to Market challenges, such as long timescales to market adoption and complex regulatory frameworks. They need market specific advice from experts on business-related topics as well as support from public funding to move from the innovation ready phase (Technology Readiness Level - TRL = 4, technology validated in lab) into the investment ready phase (TRL = 7, system prototype demonstration). Moreover, photonics SMEs should benefit from networking with European peers, system integrators and end-users.
European regions can support their companies via the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs) through the policy process of Smart Specialisation. Twelve European regions have identified photonics as one of the priorities in their Research and Innovation Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3). However, there is still room to enhance the funding synergies between Horizon 2020 and ESIFs, and the coordination of regional and EU photonics strategies.
Photonics clusters can play an important role when dealing with these challenges thanks to their connections with local policy makers and experience in supporting companies and creating networking opportunities. Thus, eight photonics clusters and one technology innovation centre from eight European countries (France, Spain, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, Finland, and the UK) delivered the EPRISE project in the period from January 2017 to June 2019.
The overall objective of the project was to promote and support photonics as a Key Enabling Technology (KET) with a focus on applications in the Medical Technology, Pharmaceutical, Agriculture, and Food markets where Europe holds a leading position. More specifically, the EPRISE consortium:
• Organised the “European Photonics Roadshow” - 7 European events to assist photonics SMEs in entering these markets via expert advice and to boost collaboration along the value chain;
• Mapped regional ecosystems in partner countries to highlight to regional authorities the potential of photonics in relation to their RIS3;
• Supported and contributed to collaboration and co-funding scenarios to encourage a combined effort of European and regionally-managed resources.
In conclusion, the project created sustainable and exploitable tools (a database of photonics actors, a database of experts) and market specific information (a booklet, presentations and videos from the Roadshow series) for reinforcement of the photonics sector and improvement of the coordination of photonics strategies and resources within Europe. They have been disseminated towards different target groups: photonics companies, regional authorities, integrators and end-users of photonics technologies.
