A new versatile family of chromophore-based dipicolinate ligands able to induce europium emission by the two-photon antenna effect was synthesized. Tuning the strength of the donor as well as the length of the π-conjugated backbone allows optimization of the two- photon absorption (TPA) cross-section, 775 GM at 740 nm for [Eu (L 5) 3] 3−, and a shift of the maximal TPA wavelength to the red.