To accelerate innovation and strengthen its European supply chain, ArianeGroup has been working with the Enterprise Europe Network to identify highly specialised SMEs and scaleups across Europe. As part of this strategy, CCI Île-de-France, an EEN partner, launched the “Future Technology Days”, inviting selected companies to present solutions that could support reusable launcher development and other strategic challenges.
InnovationQuarter, the EEN partner for the province of Zuid-Holland, used this opportunity to proactively scout Dutch innovators that could meet ArianeGroup’s demanding requirements. By engaging with industry associations such as SpaceNed, Photonics NL, and the Netherlands Aerospace Group, InnovationQuarter identified PhotonFirst as a strong candidate and supported our application to the Future Technology Days. Following a rigorous selection process, PhotonFirst was invited to in-depth follow-up meetings with ArianeGroup experts.
During these technical sessions, PhotonFirst presented its integrated photonics-based interrogation technology and demonstrated how fiber optic sensor networks can provide the rich in-flight data ArianeGroup needs to evaluate the reusability of structural components. The ability to deploy many sensing points over large structures, while keeping cabling weight low and ensuring resilience to shock, vibration, and electromagnetic environments, proved especially relevant for reusable stages.
On the strength of these demonstrations, ArianeGroup decided to procure several PhotonFirst systems and invited us to support initial tests on Themis, the reusable first-stage demonstrator that will play a key role in Europe’s roadmap toward sustainable, reusable launchers. For PhotonFirst, this represents a pivotal validation of our technology in one of the world’s most challenging environments and confirms our ambition to become a key enabler in the aerospace and defence market.
The collaboration with ArianeGroup significantly enhances PhotonFirst’s position in the European space ecosystem. Working with the prime contractor of Ariane 6 demonstrates that integrated photonics-based sensing is not only ready for space, but also strategically relevant for raising launcher reusability and competitiveness. It has already led to PhotonFirst being invited to join a Horizon Europe proposal, further embedding our technology in Europe’s innovation pipeline.
For ArianeGroup, high-resolution structural health and usage data are essential to closing the loop on reusable launcher design. A higher rate of safe reuse can only be achieved if each flight yields detailed insight into the “health” of the stage, enabling data-driven decisions on inspection, refurbishment, and lifetime extension. As noted in the original success story, PhotonFirst’s technology is regarded as a critical enabler for improving competitiveness in the global launcher market.
This trajectory from first contact to concrete collaboration would not have been possible without the Enterprise Europe Network and the concerted efforts of its partners. CCI Paris Île-de-France designed the Future Technology Days process to save time for large industrial players, widen the pool of potential solution providers, and structure interactions in a way that makes it easier to assess emerging technologies. InnovationQuarter acted as our local sparring partner, opening doors in the European space ecosystem, connecting us to trade associations and key events, and publishing an EEN technology offer to further expand our network.
As Leendert‑Jan Nijstad, CEO of PhotonFirst, puts it in the original article, the matchmaking efforts of the Enterprise Europe Network led directly to a concrete collaboration with ArianeGroup and significantly strengthened PhotonFirst’s strategic position in the aerospace sector. Representatives from InnovationQuarter, CCI Paris Île-de-France, and ArianeGroup likewise highlight this case as a “dream match” and a showcase of how Future Technology Days and the EEN network contribute to EU technological sovereignty in space.
Readers who want to explore the full story, including perspectives from all stakeholders and additional background on Themis and Future Technology Days, can find it in the upcoming Enterprise Europe Network success story article featuring PhotonFirst, ArianeGroup, InnovationQuarter, and CCI Paris Île-de-France.
If you are looking for more information about this cooperation and the solutions we provide for aerospace and defense, check this page on aerospace and defense.