ASPICE · Action to Support Photonic Innovation Clusters in Europe

The enabling technology of photonics has grown dramatically worldwide over the last 20 years and has now become a key emerging technology in a modern industrial economy. Europe has benefited disproportionately from this growth having increased its photonic revenues by 30% in the period 2005 – 2008. In parallel with this expansion, photonic clusters have emerged so that today we have in excess of 40 photonic innovation clusters across Europe. Many of these clusters have initially focused correctly on their indigenous growth but to achieve long term growth there must be a greater focus on cluster collaboration in Europe, particularly across value/supply chains where photonics is a key driver.<br/>The need for on-going international cooperation among photonics clusters is pivotal in increasing their overall effectiveness in promoting research and innovation, strengthening the European economy and addressing societal challenges. ASPICE aspires to advance this cause by:•\tsurveying the photonic innovation clusters and platforms landscape and developing a reference guide of good practices. Under the term good practices, the reference guide will refer to specific, proven, efficient (least amount of effort) and effective (best results) services provided by clusters and platforms.•\tprofiling and leveraging the value/supply chains in two societal challenges where photonics technology will be a key solution provider, namely 'Healthcare in an Aging Society' and 'Safety and security for Europe's citizens'.•\tengaging cluster and platform representatives and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the 'translation' of the reference guide and the value/supply chain profiles into actionable plans for embedding the more suitable practices into the programmes of Europe's photonic clusters.<br/>Outcomes will be delivered through a set of public reference guides, a value/supply chain matchmaking service and a series of cluster co-ordination workshops.