Málaga hosts the European photonics congress ECOC 2026 until Thursday
More than 6,500 scientists are taking part at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos until September 24 in the largest European event on optical communications and photonics, a key technology for artificial intelligence.
Redacción · Published on September 21, 2026
Málaga has been, since today, Monday, September 21, and until Thursday, September 24, host to the 52nd edition of the European Conference on Optical Communications (ECOC 2026), held at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga (FYCMA). According to the note issued by the Universidad de Málaga (UMA), this is the most important conference in Europe in the field of optical communications and photonics.
The event brings together more than 6,500 people and is divided into two parallel parts. On one hand, the ECOC Conference, a scientific forum with more than 2,300 delegates where more than 550 research papers are presented. On the other, the ECOC Exhibition, a trade fair covering 16,000 square meters with the participation of more than 350 companies and institutions from 30 countries, with an expected attendance of 6,000 people.
The conference leaders are the Photonics professors Iñigo Molina, from the UMA, and José Capmany, from the Universitat Politècnica de València. Both were present at the opening alongside the mayor of Málaga, Francisco de la Torre, and the general director of Andalucía Trade, Antonio Castro.
After the opening ceremony, the plenary sessions began, focused on the applications currently driving the sector: artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technologies. Speakers include Patrick Vandenameele, CEO of IMEC, and Mark Thompson, co-founder of PsiQuantum.
As explained by the UMA, advanced AI needs to process large volumes of data at high speed, something that exceeds the limits of traditional copper cabling. For this reason, some of the talks will address photonic solutions to overcome these bottlenecks. Peter Winzer, Vice President of Systems Architecture at Ciena, will present a talk on connecting processors and AI clusters through packaged optics and coherent connectivity. Vandenameele, for his part, will explain how silicon-scale photonic integration is necessary for the energy efficiency required by next-generation AI.
Iñigo Molina, professor at the UMA and founder of the companies Bioherent and AGPhotonics, told the media that photonics is present in all of today's communications. "The development of AI has brought a series of challenges closely related to data centers or the high speed of infrastructures, so the way in which these infrastructures can continue to grow will be studied," he stated.
The UMA's note links the holding of ECOC 2026 with other recent technological projects in the city, such as the arrival of an IMEC center, the PERTE-Chip Chair, and the Global Photonics Economic Forum. According to the university, the influx of more than 6,500 visitors will bring an injection of over five million euros into sectors such as hospitality, transport, and accommodation.
The event brings together more than 6,500 people and is divided into two parallel parts. On one hand, the ECOC Conference, a scientific forum with more than 2,300 delegates where more than 550 research papers are presented. On the other, the ECOC Exhibition, a trade fair covering 16,000 square meters with the participation of more than 350 companies and institutions from 30 countries, with an expected attendance of 6,000 people.
The conference leaders are the Photonics professors Iñigo Molina, from the UMA, and José Capmany, from the Universitat Politècnica de València. Both were present at the opening alongside the mayor of Málaga, Francisco de la Torre, and the general director of Andalucía Trade, Antonio Castro.
After the opening ceremony, the plenary sessions began, focused on the applications currently driving the sector: artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technologies. Speakers include Patrick Vandenameele, CEO of IMEC, and Mark Thompson, co-founder of PsiQuantum.
As explained by the UMA, advanced AI needs to process large volumes of data at high speed, something that exceeds the limits of traditional copper cabling. For this reason, some of the talks will address photonic solutions to overcome these bottlenecks. Peter Winzer, Vice President of Systems Architecture at Ciena, will present a talk on connecting processors and AI clusters through packaged optics and coherent connectivity. Vandenameele, for his part, will explain how silicon-scale photonic integration is necessary for the energy efficiency required by next-generation AI.
Iñigo Molina, professor at the UMA and founder of the companies Bioherent and AGPhotonics, told the media that photonics is present in all of today's communications. "The development of AI has brought a series of challenges closely related to data centers or the high speed of infrastructures, so the way in which these infrastructures can continue to grow will be studied," he stated.
The UMA's note links the holding of ECOC 2026 with other recent technological projects in the city, such as the arrival of an IMEC center, the PERTE-Chip Chair, and the Global Photonics Economic Forum. According to the university, the influx of more than 6,500 visitors will bring an injection of over five million euros into sectors such as hospitality, transport, and accommodation.
