Invest in Photonics to focus on growth sectors

BORDEAUX, FRANCE: Invest in Photonics, the first international photonics partnering event, will be held in Bordeaux (in south-western France) from 11 to 12 December 2008. The main focus of the event will be on the healthcare, energy and telecommunications sectors, and 20 companies currently seeking financing have already registered projects with strong growth potential. The deadline for registration is 30 September.

On 11 and 12 December 2008, Bordeaux will be the leading meeting place for the photonics sector, with close to 150 of the sector’s key decision-makers present at Invest in Photonics, along with investors (from venture capital funds, development capital funds, corporate venture funds and business banks), market analysts, and representatives of companies that use photonics, in fields ranging from the environment, security and biotech, to the medical and manufacturing sectors.

In order to bring together the required expertise, the organisers of the event have set up a technical committee of international professionals from the worlds of industry and finance. Their role is to approve the technical content and presentations submitted by companies seeking financing. The technical committee includes representatives from Bookham, Canadian Photonics Consortium, CEA/ALPhA, CNOP (Comité National d’Optique et Photonique), EPIC (European Photonic Industry Consortium), Quebec Photonics Network, Sofinnova Partners, and ZHO (Zentrum für Optoelektronik).

Securing financing is a significant issue for innovative companies: there have already been 20 projects submitted to the Invest in Photonics technical committee. The deadline for additional registrations is 30 September 2008. The objective of Invest in Photonics is to find 40 companies interested in seeking funds or financial partners, as well as to present spin-off projects.

There will be a particular focus on the healthcare sector and technology, with technologies such as medical lasers, biophotonics and medical imaging. Potential applications of photonics in this sector include examining the human body with a micro camera, fast-mapping cells and genes, curing illnesses by destroying only diseased cells with a laser beam, using the eyes to communicate (for severely disabled people), removing vascular injury and remodelling the skin.

Another key theme during the event will be energy (photovoltaic and lighting). Potential applications of photonics in this sector include renewable energy that allows the production of power by transforming a fraction of solar radiation into electricity, using a photovoltaic cell. This market is experiencing significant growth, with an increase of 33% since 1999. Multiple applications and innovations continue to be developed, and the resource is virtually unlimited – using 5% of the surface of the world’s existing deserts would be enough to supply the entire planet with energy.

The final key theme will be telecommunications, with a particular focus on applications in general consumer electronics, screens and sensors. The event will cover technology in general use, such as LEDs used in the headlights of certain cars, dynamic display keyboards, mobile phones and indoor mood lighting.