Dr. Jan Watté is a business developer at B-Phot, the Brussels Photonics Team of the Vrije Universiteit of Brussels (VUB), where he connects cutting-edge photonics research with real-world industrial applications. He plays a key role in building partnerships and driving innovation projects that link academia, applied research institutes, start-ups, sme’s and large enterprises. His work focuses on accelerating the translation of photonics technologies into functional prototypes and market-ready solutions across different industrial sectors. He acts as a central orienteering coordinator and business coach of PhotonHub, a pan- European digital innovation hub for photonics technologies that serves as a one-stop shop for photonics innovation support. Additionally, he contributes to the FC3 (Flanders Chip Competence Center) project, supported by the Chips Joint Undertaking which aims to strengthen Europe’s semiconductor industry.