Twente's photonic chips will enable new global technology applications

Innovative photonic chips from Twente will soon enable new technology applications worldwide 

‘Continuing to make progress together is crucial now’  

Source text and visual: Twente.com

For a year and a half, several parties have been working hard in Twente to realise a photonic chip manufacturing facility: New Origin. This chip factory is crucial to enable the upscaling of the manufacture of groundbreaking photonic chips. New Origin should also ensure further development of applications in ultra-fast communication, augmented and virtual reality, medical devices, consumer products and equipment for defence, among others. 

This advanced production facility for photonic chips applies a technology that uses light to process information faster and more efficiently. These chips are made in Twente and then built into devices from global manufacturers. ‘With this, we want to help companies that currently have nowhere in the world to turn for their ability to further develop products,’ CEO Twan Korthorst enthusiastically explains. The arrival of the company is important for further strengthening Twente's position in integrated photonics. 

From idea to company 

The idea for setting up New Origin arose from a collaboration between the MESA+ Institute at the University of Twente (UT) and local companies such as LioniX, Demcon and Micronit. New Origin now has three full-time employees and is seen as an important development for ChipTech Twente. In it, education, government and industry work closely together to further develop the regional unique strength in analogue chip design, chip design software, supply to the semiconductor industry and new technology such as quantum and photonics. ‘Photonic chip technology is currently evolving from a research and development environment to manufacturing with industrial processes. We have identified a gap in the market and we notice it in all our discussions with partners and potential customers. Everywhere I go, people are enthusiastic,’ Korthorst said. ‘We have put ourselves on the map. Now it's a matter of taking the right steps quickly. The world is not standing still and technology is moving faster and faster. Keeping progress is crucial in this process.’ 

Step by step 

In terms of the main tasks, namely housing, financing and finding technology partners and customers, success is currently being achieved. Many steps have been taken in recent months, many still to be taken, according to Korthorst. ‘We need a lot of money, but the basic funding, including in the form of a grant from the Province of Overijssel, has been arranged and the regional development company Oost NL has joined as a shareholder. Moreover, we have talked to quite a few companies around the world about our technology and can count on support. There is a lot happening behind the scenes. We are playing chess on several boards at the same time that are also all related to each other.’ 

New Origin's premises will ideally be at Kennispark Twente in Enschede, close to UT, in about a year and a half. ‘A lot of advanced research is being done there by various parties. Together, we can continue to develop this technology. However, our chip factory cannot be placed just anywhere. For our technology, we need power, water and very pure air in clean rooms, for instance. We are discussing this with suppliers and designers,’ Korthorst explains. He experiences a lot of willingness to help among a variety of Twente entrepreneurs. ‘We are doing something beautiful together here in Twente and for that we need each other very much. Anyone who can contribute to this is very welcome.’ 

Big ambitions 

He knows what he's doing it for. ‘The ambition is big. Nowhere in the world can you scale up as a company with this technology. With our help, technological prototypes can eventually grow into a product. Making chips takes time, experience and practice. But then we have also brought a unique proposition to the market that can provide great developments in the technology field. We are laying the foundation for a global, new generation of technological applications. We can do this together in Twente. I am proud of that.’ 

About New Origin 

New Origin stems from ChipTech Twente, in which education, government and industry work together on developments in chip design and photonics. New Origin will produce high-quality Silicon Nitride (SiN) photonic chips. These chips use light instead of electricity, enabling faster information transfer and requiring less energy. The chips can be used in a variety of applications: from smart sensors in cars to medical diagnostics and from quantum computers to AR/VR. 

Het FD Special 

Het Financieele Dagblad published the special “High Tech & Data Science” at the end of May 2025, focusing on photonic chips, the impact on the innovation power of the Netherlands, and how New Origin contributes to it.