Who we are

ACceleraTing Photonics Deployment viA one STop shop Advanced Technology Access for Researchers

ACTPHAST4R is a one-stop-shop photonics technology access and support centre which is perfectly aligned with the needs of innovation-driven researchers in bridging the gap between their fundamental proof-of-concept (TRL1-2) and a research prototype (TRL4-5).

ACTPHAST4R will provide a critical mass of European top-class researchers -in particular non-photonics researchers for whom advanced photonics is a key enabling technology to the realisation of new applications and products- with action-oriented solutions on two complementary levels. 

In the first instance, ACTPHAST4R will provide researchers with one-stop-shop access to the photonics expert know-how and mature technologies of 24 of Europe’s leading competence centres. The photonics technology platform capabilities of ACTPHAST4R cover the entire integrated supply chain from design to packaging, and embrace technologies ranging from free-form optics, over optical fiber technologies, to photonic integrated circuits, and MOEMS.

Through intensive technology coaching, leading to focused innovation projects involving transnational internships and hands-on working with the advanced photonics technologies at the access centers, the goal is to turn the researchers’ scientific conceptual breakthroughs into industrially-relevant demonstrators.

In parallel, ACTPHAST4R will provide researchers with expert business coaching to help foster their entrepreneurial mindset and deployment capabilities, with guidance to pathways for further scaling of their demonstrators and financing of innovation in the industrial domain.

Ambitious targets are set for commercial valorisation successes by “star performing” researchers in the form of patents, licensing deals and spin-outs.

ACTPHAST4R will be a game-changer for the European researchers in strengthening the European innovation ecosystem and improving the cross-fertilisation of photonics with other technology areas.