CoreCom (Consortium for Research in Optical Switching and Signal Processing) was funded in Milano by the Politecnico and Pirelli Cable on the base of a five-years Research project. During the 1998, three years after the foundation, the CoreCom activities was so appreciated that the founders decided to prorogued his life for ten years more, till the 2008, the year of CoreCom closing ( now it becomes PoliCom, the new DEI Lab). CoreCom was an important subject of the national “photonics” growing, in all the domains related and further the optical communications. CoreCom pioneered activities on the optical networks, photonics switching, wavelength conversion, optical amplification, high-contrast integrated-optics, nanomaterials, specialty fiber-optics, etc. The CoreCom activities have been lead by a researchers equipe internationally appreciated that produced 46 international patents, more than hundred papers published on journals and congress proceedings. CoreCom contributed also to develop high-education by giving hospitality to more than 200 laurea thesis and more than 10 PhD doctoral thesis.