50 million euro European Quantum pilot P4Q launched – Germany’s photonic pilot-line strength rooted at IMS CHIPS in “THE LÄND”

As Europe prepares to launch the Photonics for Quantum (P4Q) pilot in 2026 (total budget €50M), a key industrial capability is already anchored in Germany: photonic pilot-line competence at IMS CHIPS in Stuttgart — in the heart of “THE LÄND” (Baden-Württemberg). A dedicated photonic chip pilot line has been established there, demonstrating how existing semiconductor manufacturing infrastructure can be upgraded for next-generation photonic applications.

P4Q tackles the critical step from research to application: quantum photonics must become repeatable and scalable—not only working once in the lab, but reliably in production. The pilot focuses on standards, manufacturing and test approaches to reduce optical loss, ensure stability (including at cryogenic temperatures), and enable photonic circuits that can be integrated into larger systems such as quantum sensors and secure communication networks.

The consortium includes 29 partners from academia, RTOs and industrial foundries. A core element is developing Process Design Kits (PDKs) and Assembly Design Kits (ADKs) to better align design, fabrication and assembly.
Funding is split between €25M EU investment and €25M from national governments across 11 countries, targeting TRL-8 / MRL-8 for large-scale demonstration and industrialisation.

“As a project member, we see strong momentum: a photonic pilot line in Stuttgart (“THE LÄND”) paired with European scale-up initiatives like P4Q helps bring quantum photonics into real-world deployment.”