Ephos wins €41.5 million for new fab producing glass PICs in Italy
The start-up will use the grant, awarded under the EU Chips Act, to build a new manufacturing facility in Italy to scale production of its chips, which have applications in AI datacentres, high-performance computing, and quantum computers
Ephos, a company producing glass photonic chips, has announced it has secured a €41.5 million grant from the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, under the EU Chips Act, to build its new manufacturing facility in Italy. The project, representing a total investment of €104.9 million, aims to establish the world’s first facility for processing advanced optical materials on glass.
Ephos says the new facility, named Fab-2, will enable it to scale production of its first-of-its-kind process for manufacturing ultra-low-loss, fast-switching photonic chips on glass substrates. These chips could serve as a key building block of AI datacentres, high-performance computing, and quantum computers, addressing the rapidly growing demand for advanced chip technologies.
“As artificial intelligence reshapes our economies and geopolitical landscapes, advanced chip manufacturing has become a critical strategic asset,” says Andrea Rocchetto, co-founder and CEO of Ephos. “With Fab-2, we are leveraging Europe’s exceptional engineering talent to deliver the essential components that power AI infrastructure.”
The Fab-2 announcement comes 10 months after Ephos opened Fab-1, its first R&D and manufacturing facility in Milan. The company says that Fab-1, which received backing from both the EU and NATO, has enabled it to provide customers with advanced photonic chips from a trusted, secure supply chain.
