Francisco Díaz-Otero, CEO of SPARC, takes part in the groundbreaking ceremony of the SPARC Foundry, marking a key milestone that represents the culmination of more than five years of dedicated work, strategic vision, and a strong commitment to the future of integrated photonics and the semiconductor industry in Spain and Europe.
The SPARC project is focused on the development, production, and commercialization of next-generation photonic semiconductors based on Group III-V materials—such as InP, GaAs, and GaN—enabling advanced solutions for sectors including telecommunications, automotive, quantum computing, biomedicine, and defense.
Located in the Valadares Technology and Logistics Park (Vigo), the SPARC facility will feature a state-of-the-art clean room of over 1,600 m² and a production capacity of up to 20,000 wafers per year. This infrastructure will accelerate time-to-market and reinforce Europe’s strategic technological capabilities in advanced photonic manufacturing.
This milestone would not be possible without the solid public-private collaboration that has driven the project since its inception. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the investors and institutions that have made it a reality: SETT (Spanish Society for Technological Transformation), the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service, Vigo Activo, the Vigo Free Zone Consortium, Indra Group, Lucasiñas, as well as the promoters and technical teams whose work and commitment have been essential.
The launch of SPARC Foundry represents a decisive step toward strengthening European technological sovereignty and strategic autonomy in critical digital technologies. With operations expected to begin by the end of 2027, the plant will not only generate highly qualified employment, but will also consolidate Vigo as a key node within the European innovation ecosystem in integrated photonics.
With this milestone, SPARC advances its mission to reinforce the integrated photonics semiconductor industry from Spain, contributing decisively to Europe’s technological sovereignty and strategic autonomy.