French SME providing nanodevice simulation software for quantum electronics and silicon photonics research consortia.
NEXTNANO LAB SAS is a French technology SME based in Corenc that develops and licenses simulation software for semiconductor nanodevices. Their platform models the quantum-mechanical behavior of electrons and photons inside nanoscale structures — enabling the design of quantum transport devices, GeSi optical modulators, and photodetectors before any physical fabrication takes place. In H2020 projects they contribute as a third-party tool provider: research consortia pay to use their simulation environment rather than bringing NEXTNANO into the consortium as a formal partner. This makes them a specialist infrastructure layer for frontier nanoelectronics and silicon photonics research across Europe.
Third-party provider in both UltraFastNano (quantum transport) and SIPHO-G (silicon photonics), indicating their simulation platform spans both electronic and photonic regimes of semiconductor physics.
UltraFastNano (2020–2024) targets electronic generation and detection at picosecond timescales in nanodevices, requiring precise quantum transport simulation of semiconductor heterostructures.
SIPHO-G (2021–2025) develops advanced GeSi components for next-generation optical transceivers, where NEXTNANO supplies device-level simulation support.
NEXTNANO entered H2020 through fundamental quantum nanoelectronics — ultrafast single-electron transport and semiconductor heterostructures in the FET pillar — targeting physics at the picosecond scale. Their second project shifted to applied silicon photonics under the ICT pillar, focusing on manufacturable GeSi optical components for data-center transceivers. This move from research-grade quantum devices toward commercially relevant photonic components suggests their simulation tools are maturing from academic use cases toward industrial design workflows.
NEXTNANO appears to be extending its simulation platform from fundamental quantum-transport research into applied photonics and optical interconnects — a direction aligned with growing industrial demand for silicon photonics in AI infrastructure and high-speed data centers.
NEXTNANO participates exclusively as a third party across both known projects, meaning they supply tools or services contractually rather than holding IP or project leadership responsibilities. This is typical of simulation software vendors embedded in research projects: they do not receive direct EC funding, but their technology is essential enough that consortia pay for access. With 12 partners across 8 countries, they have broad European exposure despite their non-member consortium status.
NEXTNANO has reached 12 unique consortium partners across 8 European countries through only two projects. Their third-party model means their actual user base among EU researchers is likely wider than these numbers suggest, since access is purchased rather than formally registered.
NEXTNANO occupies a rare position as a commercial simulation software SME embedded inside frontier EU research consortia — neither a university group nor a large EDA vendor. Their platform bridges quantum device physics and photonic component design in a single tool, which is uncommon at this scale. For a consortium working on nanoelectronic or nanophotonic devices, they are a natural third-party partner: bringing validated simulation capability without the overhead of a full consortium seat.
