Colloidal quantum dots are a type of semiconductor nanocrystals synthesised from solutions. Owing to their special electronic and optical properties, they have shown great potential for optoelectronic applications. For example, they are a versatile platform for optical sensing, imaging and spectroscopy in the short and mid-infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum. However, quantum dot light source technology is still expensive, bulky and often composed of restricted chemical elements. The EU-funded NOMISS project will seek to develop a new class of solution-processable quantum dots using a wider set of elements. Light-matter interactions will be thoroughly studied to increase light emission efficiency in the infrared, with the hope being to incorporate the new quantum dots in photonic integrated circuits.