Successful kick-off: Thuringian growth core for innovative optical fibers
The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research supports the project partners with a subsidy amount of 10 million Euros. Official start of the project was January 2017.
18 companies and 3 research institutions form the regional growth core »Tailored Optical Fibers (TOF)« and receive financial support from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research for the next three years.
The alliance will now focus on content: SMEs and larger companies will cooperate with research institutions in order to develop a joint technology platform for tailored fibers in new photonic applications. The involved enterprises intend to market the new fibers worldwide subsequent to the project. Potential fields of application are: sophisticated fiber optic metrology in industry and medicine, novel light sources for laser and material processing, or light emitting textiles.
Besides innovative high-tech products, such as high temperature fibers for resource exploration, fiber sensors for keyhole surgery, or smart surfaces for vehicle interiors, the cooperation will develop an efficient network, which will prospectively deliver tailored solutions for individual customer requirements in other market segments. In the long run, this approach will help to increase the companies’ turnover and create new jobs in the region.
For the first time, manufacturers of optical fibers join forces with component and system builders to establish a powerful alliance. The companies with residence in Thuringia and Saxony have long-time experience in the field of manufacturing, processing and application of specially designed fibers. For three years to come, the specialists will work together to achieve product and technology leadership, and contribute 5m Euros of equity capital to the project. To support the marketing and organization of the project, the growth core is accompanied by OptoNet.
The Partners
Active Fiber Systems | F.J. RAMMER | FBGS Technologies | Fibotec Fiberoptics | Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF | Friedrich Schiller University Jena | GRINTECH | Heracle | INTROS Medical Laser | ITP | j-fiber | JSJ Jodeit | LASOS Lasertechnik | Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (IPHT) | Leistungselektronik Jena | Peterseim Strickwaren | piezosystem jena | QSIL | Saveway | Spengler & Fürst | VACOM Vakuumkomponenten und Messtechnik
The Program
The funding program »Innovative Regional Growth Cores« started in 2001 in order to promote and develop competencies and potentials of Eastern Germany. Alliances of enterprises, universities and research institutions with a joint regional technology platform or potential for the development of such a platform are funded.