Memorandum of Understanding between COBO and EPIC

Details

Published on 04 October 2018

Brad Booth, President of COBO (Consortium for On-Board Optics), and Dr. Jose Pozo, CTO of EPIC (European Photonics Industry Consortium) signed on 24 September 2018 a collaboration agreement. The signature took place at the EPIC VIP Party celebrated during ECOC Exhibition in Rome, Italy.

EPIC and COBO are mutually motivated in cooperative activities involving industry endorsement of standards and technology roadmaps. The partnership will encourage direct contact and cooperation between the consortiums and its members, including participation at events, writing joint articles, collaborate in information exchange and promotion, and advisory mandates with an aim of bringing cooperation and, ultimately, support the development of an efficient and sustainable industry.

The signature of the MoU took place in conjunction with the EPIC VIP Party that the consortium celebrates during the last years at the ECOC Exhibition. The event gathered 150 industry leaders, and decision makers from the photonics and telecom industry.

The Consortium for On-Board Optics (COBO) is comprised of about 63 companies in the fields of telecommunications, semiconductors, IT and software. This complements very well the interests of most of the 385 members of the European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC), that encompass the entire value chain from photonics fields such as lighting, photovoltaic, photonics integrated circuits, optical components, lasers, sensors, imaging, displays, optic fiber and all other photonics related technologies.

“EPIC members include key actors in the value chains on photonic packaging, Silicon photonics, Indium Phosphide devices, and VCSELs. I am excited of this additional collaboration with COBO, it will bring EPIC members in contact with the main players in standardization of on-board optical interfaces, to enable a turning point for accelerating the time to market for novel optical modules”, said Dr. Jose Pozo, CTO of EPIC European Photonics Industry Consortium. “As the importance of optics grows as technology advances, it is important that organizations like EPIC and COBO collaborate to eliminate barriers and smooth the adoption of innovative photonic developments. I look forward to our future engagements and bringing about change in our industry,” said Brad Booth, President, COBO.

The Consortium for On-Board Optics (COBO) is membership-driven, mutual-benefit, non-profit corporation developing specifications for the use of embedded optical modules in the manufacturing of networking equipment (i.e., switches, servers). The consortium references industry specifications where possible and develops specifications where required with attention to electrical interfaces, pin-outs, connectors, thermals and materials for the development of interchangeable and interoperable optical modules that can be mounted onto motherboards and daughtercards.
www.onboardoptics.org

European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC), a membership-led not-for-profit industry association that promotes the sustainable development of organizations working in the field of photonics. Its members encompass the entire value chain from LED lighting, PV solar energy, Silicon photonics, Optical components, Lasers, Sensors, Displays, Projectors, Optic fiber, and other photonic related technologies. EPIC fosters a vibrant photonics ecosystem by maintaining a strong network and acting as a catalyst and facilitator for technological and commercial advancement. EPIC works closely with related industries, universities, and public authorities to build a more competitive photonics industrial sector, capable of both economic and technological growth in a highly competitive world-wide marketplace.
www.epic-assoc.com