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Date Announced: 18 Feb 2026
Eindhoven, The Netherlands – March 18
th 2026 — MicroAlign, a photonics technology company specializing
in ultra‑high‑precision optical‑fiber alignment, has been awarded the prestigious EIC Accelerator Grant of
€2.5 million, along with an equity investment component, to accelerate the industrialization of its fiber‑array
manufacturing.
The EIC Accelerator Grant gives MicroAlign a decisive step towards industrial scale, accelerating automation
of its production process to rapidly increase throughput while maintaining consistent, high‑quality output.
This scale‑up is essential as the quantum computing industry moves from R&D into early commercial
deployment, and demand begins to rise sharply.
“We are seeing an increasingly urgent demand for high‑accuracy fiber‑connectivity
solutions in quantum computing. Quantum computing architectures rely on low‑loss
optical paths for qubit preservation and control. Scaling our manufacturing
processes is essential to meet customers’ evolving needs in the coming years,” said
Simone Cardarelli, CEO of MicroAlign.
Photonic quantum computers rely on fiber arrays with extreme positioning accuracy, as nanometer‑scale
misalignments lead to photon loss and degraded system performance. Existing commercial solutions
designed for datacom and telecom do not meet the alignment requirements necessary for photonic quantum
computing.
MicroAlign addresses this challenge with its patented micro‑manipulation technology, which actively aligns
individual fibers using micro‑actuators with nanometer‑level precision. Unlike conventional approaches,
MicroAlign’s solution is designed for scalable, high‑volume manufacturing, enabling both performance and
production readiness.
“MicroAlign’s products are the world’s first fiber arrays manufactured using
active‑alignment techniques. This disruptive technology sets a new benchmark for
ultra‑low‑loss, multi‑channel fiber‑to‑chip connectivity and represents a significant
leap toward high‑performance photonic packaging. In 2026, MicroAlign will further
miniaturize its technology platform to meet rising customer demand for high‑density
and high‑accuracy optical interconnects. The company will introduce a new
generation of ultra‑high‑accuracy fiber arrays featuring channel pitches down to 127
µm, enabling more compact, scalable, and efficient photonic systems,” stated
Marco Fattori, CTO of MicroAlign
Fiber arrays are a critical component of photonic quantum computers, with a single large‑scale system
expected to require thousands of fiber arrays. As adoption accelerates, reliable and scalable supply becomes
a key requirement for quantum hardware manufacturers.
“This grant enables us to scale in line with our customers’ timelines. We are grateful
to our investors and shareholders PhotonDelta, DeepTechXL, Innovation Industries,
Capital 819, and TU Eindhoven, as well as our financing partners NWO, BSF, and
Rabobank, whose continued support has been instrumental in reaching this stage
and preparing us for the next phase of industrializing our production to meet our
customers’ scaling needs,” said Cees Luijendijk, CFO of MicroAlign.
By 2029, MicroAlign aims to support a significant share of photonic quantum‑computing systems worldwide
with its ultra‑high‑accuracy fiber arrays, contributing to advancements in artificial intelligence, materials
science, and drug discovery. Beyond quantum computing, the company’s technology also enables scalable,
precision fiber‑to‑chip integration for a broad range of advanced photonic applications.
“It is fascinating to see how more applications in non‑quantum high‑end domains are
now demanding very low‑loss optical‑fiber connectivity, including MEMS switches,
wavelength‑selective switches, and optical amplifiers — a <0.5 dB optical‑coupling
target is no longer a niche request,” added Simone Cardarelli, CEO of MicroAlign.
Meet MicroAlign at OFC 2026
MicroAlign will exhibit at the OFC Exhibition at Booth 859, Netherlands Pavilion, where visitors can see
physical samples and live demonstrations of its fiber‑array technology.
Dates: March 17–18, 2026 Location: OFC Exhibition, Netherlands Pavilion, Booth 859
E-mail: e.kazakova@microalign.nl
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