Central Bohemian Region (Czech Republic) and Lithuania represent European regions, where researchers in the photonics, resp. laser technologies sectors are internationally recognised, and the business has a high added value. The interaction between science and business is intense and promotes development, so there is great potential to create new companies. There are opportunities to create a new generation of industry based on laser technologies, and there is an increasing potential to create more integrated solutions. The inclusion of laser technologies in the priorities of smart specialization of both regions shows that this sector has a huge potential for further development and improvement. On the other hand, the main challenge in this area is the creation of the photonics and laser technology sector, where operating companies would produce products with higher added value and exceptional functionality. Thus, the Excellence Hubs initiative represents a unique opportunity for a teaming up of two laser-based innovation ecosystems creating a real-place-based innovation culture in the Czech Republic and Lithuania. Through activities such as the creation of a joint R&I strategy, the realization of joint research projects, setting up action and investment plans as well as mutual learning and skills development, the linkages between academia, business, government, and society will be strengthened, and sustainable R&I ecosystem in the cutting-edge domain of lasers and their applications will be created. Excellence Hub LASER-PRO is centered around key academic institutions HiLASE Laser Centre in the Central Bohemian Region and the Centre for Physical Sciences and Technology in Lithuania. Complementary stakeholders include innovation centers, research clusters, and industry associations. Ukrainian partners are also involved through a mentoring scheme to enhance collaboration and innovation opportunities.

The goal of our project is to establish a consortium of renowned universities and industry partners in the field of electrical machines and additive manufacturing (AM) for a comprehensive study and solid development of new generation of electrical machines for key applications. In detail we will integrate different necessary steps for realizing our goal into an industry-doctoral network. These include multi-material (soft magnetic and non-magnetic materials) rotor, 3D-structured AM conductors, multi-material (soft magnetic and permanent magnet material) and multi-physical study of additive manufactured EMs. the objectives of our projects are: a) conceiving new concepts of electrical machines that benefit from the 3D geometrical freedom of AM, b) studying the potential and laying the foundations of multi-material additive manufacturing to enhance the EM performance, concretely increasing the power density, increasing the torque density, reducing the copper losses, reducing the iron losses, reducing the harmonic effects, c) establishing a network for educating qualified engineers with deep knowledge on both additive manufacturing processes and electrical machines to accelerate the industrial application of this technology, d) establishing a founded knowledge-based group of experts from academic and industry to represent a solid European innovation and to maintain the pioneering role of the EU in this field, e) reaching the necessary breaking-through technology in electrical machines to accelerate the technological development in related applications, f) reducing the stringent material requirements, particularly focusing on rare-earth magnets, in the light of raw materials shortages. We want to use AM to solve the current technological obstacles regarding electrical machines to accelerate the developing of electrical drives in areas such as automotive and aviation with direct impact on CO2 reduction.