Industrial photonic chip factory in Eindhoven launched

By connecting R&D with scalable production, this facility accelerates the path from concept to concrete market-ready solutions. It paves the way for a new generation of energy-efficient AI data centers, 6G networks, medical innovations and supercomputers.

The critical link between ‘lab and fab’

The new factory is more than a facility; it is a national and European catalyst for innovation. As demand for photonic chips, which process data using light instead of electricity, grows exponentially, TNO offers a critical function in the ecosystem by providing the infrastructure needed to safely test and validate this technology at industrial scale.

‘With this factory, TNO is taking a unique step: for the first time, we are building an industrial pilot line. By bringing research and manufacturing closer together, we strengthen the Netherlands’ position within the European semiconductor landscape and help companies scale up high-quality photonic technology more quickly and efficiently. This is an investment in our technological strength and in future economic growth,’ said Tjark Tjin-A-Tsoi, CEO of TNO.

Strategic Autonomy for Europe

The €150 million investment directly stems from the ambition of the European Chips Act. As part of the pan-European consortium PIXEurope, the factory aims to ensure that the “brains” of the future digital economy are developed and produced on European soil.

Minister Heleen Herbert (Economic Affairs and Climate): ‘With this investment, we are moving from knowledge and innovation to concrete applications of integrated photonics. Our goal is to achieve a strong European competitive position with this key technology - in knowledge, innovation, supply chains, and end production. This is essential for future Dutch jobs and income, for solving societal challenges, and for our national security.’

Collaboration and Employment

The project is a strong public-private partnership between TNO, TU/e, PhotonDelta, SMART Photonics, and High Tech Campus Eindhoven. In addition to technological progress, the factory will immediately create high-quality jobs. After the initial ramp-up phase, around 40 specialists will be employed at the factory, a number expected to grow further.

According to government adviser Peter Wennink, the impact of integrated photonics is comparable to the rise of integrated electronics decades ago: ‘By investing now in scalable production capacity, we are creating an ecosystem that can help shape the global technological direction. This is a launchpad for Europe’s future digital economy.’