The Institute of Photonic Sciences was founded in 2002 by the Government of Catalonia and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, both of which are members of its board of trustees along with the Cellex and Mir-Puig Foundations. Located in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, the institute currently hosts 500 people, organized in 25 research teams in 80 state-of-the-art research laboratories.

Research lines encompass diverse areas in which photonics plays a decisive role, with an emphasis on basic and applied themes relevant to medicine and biology, advanced imaging techniques, information technologies, a range of environmental sensors, tunable and ultra-fast lasers, science and technologies, photovoltaics and the properties and applications of nano- and quantum materials such as graphene or quantum dots, among others.

In addition to two consecutive accreditations of the Severo Ochoa national program for research excellence, ICFOnians have been awarded 16 elite ICREA Professorships and 42 European Research Council grants. ICFO participates actively in the European Technological Platform Photonics21 and is very proactive in fostering collaborations with the industry.

Qurv develops wide-spectrum image sensor technologies and integrated solutions to enable next-generation computer vision applications, addressing the expanding needs of an autonomous and intelligent new world. Qurv's technology leverages current CMOS scalable manufacturing and advanced materials to unlock new levels of performance, reliability, and function in XR devices, service robots and automotive industry. Qurv's breakthrough technology platform stemmed from more than ten years of applied research, and the company was established in 2020.

Black Semiconductor is a deep-tech startup, based in Aachen, Germany. It is realizing photonic interconnects for microchips with a performance order of magnitude higher than conventional technologies.

These known architectures are reaching their physical limits, wherefore Black offers an alternative solution based on light, which is a much better carrier for information than electrical signals. The capacity of optical fibres appears almost unlimited compared to copper wires. In this Horizon Europe project, it is a layer of carbon atoms that makes the difference, as it leverages the potential of the 2D material graphene to manufacture its photonic solutions.

Founded in 1386, Heidelberg University is the oldest university in today’s Germany and one of Europe’s most research-intensive institutions. Its successes in the Excellence Competitions of the German Federal and State Governments, and in internationally recognised rankings, prove Heidelberg University’s leading role in the scientific community. In educating students and supporting outstanding early-career researchers, the university relies on research-based teaching and well-structured support for doctoral candidates and postdocs.

Heidelberg University is a comprehensive research university. Its broad subject spectrum in thirteen faculties includes the humanities and social sciences, law, the natural and engineering sciences, and the life sciences, as well as medicine. Heidelberg University is committed to advancing exceptional individual disciplines, promoting dialogue beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries, and turning research findings to good use for society and the economy.

IMEC is a world-leading R&D and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies. IMEC shapes the future by enabling nano- and digital technology innovation with significant impact on quality of life. It does so with its partners from companies, governments and academia.

Supported by the three pillars of its R&D: a unique infrastructure that includes a €2.5 billion, 300mm semiconductors pilot line; more than 5,000 expert scientists from over 96 countries; and an ecosystem of more than 600 world-leading industry partners and a global academic network.

Founded in 1984, IMEC quickly made its name as the leading research hub for advanced CMOS scaling.

It will continue to shape the roadmap for the semiconductors industry for years to come. On top of that, it leverages this deep-tech knowhow, and it combines it with software and system knowledge to build up an exceptional portfolio of advanced technologies. The combination of these technologies opens the door to smart, sustainable solutions, such as healthcare, clean energy and Industry 4.0.

The Volkswagen Group is one of the world's leading car makers, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. It operates globally, with 119 production facilities in 19 European countries and 10 countries in the Americas, Asia and Africa. With around 676,000 employees worldwide. The Group’s vehicles are sold in over 150 countries.

With an unrivalled portfolio of strong global brands, leading technologies at scale, innovative ideas to tap into future profit pools and an entrepreneurial leadership team, the Volkswagen Group is committed to shaping the future of the automotive industry through investments in electric and autonomous driving vehicles, digitalization and sustainability.

The Volkswagen Group promise: with the electric drive, digital connectivity and autonomous driving, Volkswagen is making mobility cleaner, quieter, smarter and safer.

FI Group advises companies on the management of their R&D&I financing, through the design and implementation of actions aimed at boosting their technological and economic development. These actions focus on the integral treatment of R&D&I tax incentives and the management of calls for public grants and subsidies at the national and European levels, resulting in an improvement of the companies' profit and loss accounts.
Its commitment to achieving excellence in all its services has led FI Group to assume the leadership of the sector, both at the national and European levels, thus promoting an ambitious internationalisation plan with a clear objective: to help its clients in the generation of value.