BLOSSOM project launches to revolutionize photonic energy efficiency
Led by Gradiant and supported by the EIC Pathfinder Open, BLOSSOM wil develop autonomous and sustanainable photonic systems for strategic applications in healthcare, industry, the environment and security.
With six partners from four countriees and a Budget of 3 million euros, BLOSSOM marks a milestone for Galician R&D by becoming the first and only EIC Pathfinder Open Project led by a Galician research technology organization
The new European project BLOSSOM (Self-Sustained Photonic Systems through Autonomous LOSS Harvesting) has officially kicked off in Vigo, Spain on 18th of March 2026, marking the start of a four-year journey to explore next-generation of photonic technologies with the potential to unlock strategic advances in resilient, energy‑autonomous optical systems for future environmental, medical, industrial and security applications.
Funded by the European Innovation Council (EIC) under the EIC Pathfinder Open Call, BLOSSOM aims to develop pioneering photonic concepts and technologies aimed at pushing the boundaries of autonomous photonic processors capable of intelligent, self‑sustained operation opening the door to new applications in smart infrastructure, industrial autonomy and next‑generation resilient systems.
The project is coordinated by Gradiant (España) and brings together a powerful multidisciplinary team of European researches and industry partners from: Spain (Gradiant, Energhius, CiTIUS-USC), Ireland (F6S Innovation), Portugal (International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory) and Poland (Łukasiewicz Research Network Institute of Microelectronics and Photonics).
“By combining cutting-edge photonics research with a strong European consortium, BLOSSOM reinforces Europe’s position in strategic deep-tech fields and supports the EIC’s mission to turn high-risk research into future breakthrough technologies”, explains Marta Castro López, BLOSSOM Scientific Coordinator and Head of Micro-Nanoelectronics and Photonics at Gradiant.
BLOSSOM: a milestone for Galician innovation
BLOSSOM is an ambitious initiative focused on sustainable energy management in photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and represents a milestone for the Galician R&D&I ecosystem, as it is the first and the only EIC Pathfinder Open project led by a Galician research technology organization. The project develops specialized electro-optical transducers to capture internal energy losses, storing and redistributing power via integrated Management Unit (PMU). By merging molecular physics with electronics, BLOSSOM is building self-activating, energy-autonomous systems that pave the way for ultra-massive integrated photonic modular networks and neuromorphic solutions, where the size of the networks can scale exponentially without a significant increase in energy requirements. This approach aims to revolutionize integrated photonics by drastically reducing energy consumption and enhancing sustainability.
