Dutch integrated-photonics industry looking to lead

If Photondelta’s plan pans out, the Netherlands will be able to welcome another national champion in the next decade. It won’t be a single outfit with a 200+-billion-euro market capitalization like ASML, but the string of Dutch integrated-photonics companies will be a force to be reckoned with – very much like the Veldhoven-based equipment maker. Collectively, they aim to grab a global market share of as much as 30 percent in the budding industry.

The Dutch government has rallied behind the ambition and (conditionally) approved 470 million euros in funding from the National Growth Fund (NGF). Topped up with 700 million euros from companies, research organizations and investors, the Photondelta ecosystem sets out on a six-year journey that will render the Netherlands a global integrated-photonics design and manufacturing hub.