From MALAGA GPEF Keynote 2: Matt Crowley JABIL · · Jose Pozo CTO Optica Corporate Info Channel
“If photonics is going to accelerate and take over the industry then we absolutely have to find ways to get to price points that exceed copper.”
On , Matthew Crowley, Executive Vice President of Global Business Units at Jabil, spoke about pricing during MALAGA GPEF Keynote 2: Matt Crowley JABIL on Jose Pozo CTO Optica Corporate Info Channel.
In February 2025, Matthew Crowley, Executive Vice President of Global Business Units at Jabil, delivered a keynote address at the MALAGA GPEF conference. During the session, Crowley discussed the challenges of scaling photonics manufacturing, stating that for photonics to "accelerate and take over the industry," the industry must find ways to achieve price points that "exceed copper." He also emphasized Jabil's focus on "return on invested capital" rather than pursuing a "lower-margin widget business," explaining that the company prioritizes creating velocity and returning cash to the enterprise. Crowley addressed the need for consolidation and commonality in the silicon photonics supply chain, noting that an "inflection point" is required where technology becomes more standardized across different fabs. He also highlighted the difficulties of automating photonics manufacturing due to the high cost of parts and the capital intensity of automation equipment, which he said creates a bottleneck for scaling to meet hyperscale customer demand.