Our Strategy

Making cutting-edge technology more open and available to improve everyday life

Our mission is to build a pipeline of silicon photonics enabled companies serving multiple industry sectors by 2030, underpinned by our open-source silicon photonics foundry.

The UK’s leading technology hub for silicon photonics

The CORNERSTONE Photonics Innovation Centre (C-PIC) accelerates photonic innovation by bringing together tailored start-up support, engaging networking events, expert design consultancy, and flexible prototyping, backed by our open-source silicon photonics foundry.

We offer seven photonics technology platforms to accommodate a broad spectrum of applications, including telecoms, sensing, LiDAR, quantum, and AI. Each platform features a standard component library, helping to lower entry barriers and foster innovation by allowing engineers to focus on their applications. Our unique approach allows us to assist in the development of early-stage R&D projects and build proof-of-concept prototypes, helping to drive silicon photonics innovation.

Our objectives

Champion the use of integrated silicon photonics

Translate silicon photonics technologies from research labs into industry

Cultivate a positive work culture

Our values

  • Accessibility: pioneering open-source access to technologies and expertise
  • Collaboration: working across sectors, disciplines and the supply chain
  • Courage: providing industry with the means to innovate and take risks
  • Curiosity: developing new knowledge to solve real problems
  • Efficiency: empowering industry to innovate more efficiently
  • Equal opportunities: creating a supportive and respectful environment
  • Quality: striving to learn and improve on what we do
  • Sustainability: helping bring new energy efficient technologies to market
  • Trust: building enduring relationships and connecting others

 

Our 5 year goals

A cohesive UK silicon photonics community

A place people want to work and organisations want to engage with

Growing investment in UK silicon photonics

Capability and applicability of silicon photonics demonstrated to solve a wide range of problems

Our community

We work with…

  • Industry – small, medium and large organisations across a range of sectors​
  • Government – policy makers and funders​
  • Investors – venture capitalists and government​
  • Universities – researchers and research enabling staff​
  • Educators – schools and higher education

Our partners and stakeholders are based in the UK and globally. We aim to provide a value proposition that anchors silicon photonics design, R&D and prototyping in the UK, retaining UK-based companies and academics whilst attracting international organisations to our ecosystem.

Our 10 year vision

We will contribute to…

  • Sustainable innovation funding​
  • Silicon photonics technology that is integrated across all sectors​
  • A UK silicon photonics community where people and industry stay​
  • Silicon photonics touching people’s everyday life​
  • Catalyst for the silicon photonics industry​
  • Proven capability; a magnet for manufacturers and investors ​
  • More individuals from under-represented groups entering the silicon photonics field at all levels​

Find out more

 

Summary of our strategies Our progress:
"you said, we did"