NANOPLUS NANOSYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES GMBH

Their core work

Nanoplus is a German SME that designs and manufactures semiconductor laser sources operating in the mid-infrared spectral range, including interband cascade lasers (ICLs), quantum cascade lasers (QCLs), and interband cascade LEDs. Their core business is supplying photonic components for gas sensing, chemical analysis, and spectroscopic applications. In H2020 projects, they consistently serve as the laser source provider — the component that enables partner systems to detect and measure specific molecules in industrial, medical, and food safety contexts.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Nanoplus began its H2020 participation (2015-2018) focused on industrial process control spectroscopy (iCspec) and building mid-IR photonics fabrication capacity (MIRPHAB), establishing itself as a reliable laser component supplier. From 2018 onward, their applications diversified significantly — moving into medical imaging (MIRACLE) and then strongly into food safety and portable sensing (PASSEPARTOUT, PHOTONFOOD). The recent projects also show a shift from large lab-based systems toward portable, field-deployable sensor platforms, suggesting the company is moving its laser technology closer to end-user applications.

Nanoplus is moving from supplying lab-grade laser components toward enabling compact, field-deployable sensing systems for food safety and environmental monitoring — a clear shift toward applied, market-ready photonics.

How they like to work

Nanoplus operates exclusively as a participant, never coordinating — consistent with their role as a specialized component supplier embedded in larger system-integration consortia. With 67 unique partners across 19 countries in just 5 projects, they work in large, diverse consortia (averaging 13+ partners per project). This pattern indicates they are a sought-after technology provider: teams recruit them specifically for their laser expertise rather than Nanoplus building projects around its own agenda.

Nanoplus has collaborated with 67 unique partners across 19 countries, giving them a broad European network despite being a small company. Their reach spans well beyond the DACH region, reflecting the universal demand for specialized mid-IR laser sources in photonics consortia.

What sets them apart

Nanoplus occupies a rare niche: they are one of very few European SMEs manufacturing both interband cascade lasers and quantum cascade lasers in-house, making them a critical supply chain link for any consortium needing mid-infrared photonic sources. Their track record spans industrial, medical, and food applications — meaning they understand how to adapt laser specifications to very different end-use requirements. For consortium builders, partnering with Nanoplus means securing a proven, experienced photonic component supplier with deep integration know-how across multiple application domains.

Highlights from their portfolio

• MIRPHAB
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 1.04M) — a flagship mid-IR photonics fabrication pilot line project, signaling Nanoplus's role in European photonics infrastructure.
• PHOTONFOOD
  Represents the clearest commercial application path — portable mid-IR sensing for farm-to-fork food contaminant detection, combining all of Nanoplus's laser technologies (ICL, QCL, waveguides).
• MIRACLE
  Unusual cross-sector move into medical imaging — applying mid-IR technology to arthroscopy, demonstrating versatility beyond traditional industrial sensing.