“Invest in Photonics”, the next edition in Bordeaux in 2010

With over a hundred of the world’s leading photonics specialists and 16 projects presented for a potential €100m, INVEST in PHOTONICS’ was a definite success despite a poor economic outlook. The second edition will be held in 2010. Initiated by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce, the event was co-organised with ALPhA (Aquitaine Laser Photonics and Applications) and the CEA* (French Atomic Energy Commission).

“That first edition really was a great success and it shows that photonics have entered into our daily lives,” explains Guy-Georges LEGRAND, Invest in Photonics Chairman, “Thanks to an effective partnership with all public and private players as well as those of the sector, we were able to show that, over two days, Bordeaux can become the world capital of Photonics,” he adds. 50 international applications were received, 16 were presented Out of the 16 applications to be presented, it is worth noting that 30% were not French (Canada, Poland, Austria etc). French applications show a balanced geographic breakdown, with a majority coming from Ile de France.

Among the applications presented, there are some exploring medical imaging, semiconductor materials for photovoltaic energy, and liquid lens technology for cameras and mobile phones. High-level speakers to better approach the market As far as the conferences were concerned, the world’s leading specialists in photonics have demonstrated the interest they had in this event through the presence of Dr. Bernard COUILLAUD, Bookham, Stephen G. ANDERSON, Laser Focus World, Professor Dennis MATTHEWS, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA, Thomas KALLSTENIUS, Alcatel Lucent and Alain RODERMANN, Sofinnova Partners, to name but a few.

Aquitaine is thus asserting its ambition to become one of the European regions with the highest scientific potential in the optics sector: an innovative industrial fabric, an efficient R&D cluster supported by universities, the CEA, the CNRS (French National Scientific Research Centre), the INSERM (French National Health and Medical Research Institute) and the INRA (French National Agronomic Research Institute), as well as acknowledged competences in advanced teaching and ongoing training... and soon there will be the School for Advanced Optics in Talence.

*Organisation: ALPhA (Aquitaine Laser Photonics and Applications), the CEA and the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Industry ·

With financial support from Europe, the French State, the Regional Council of Aquitaine, the General Council of Gironde, the Urban Community of Bordeaux and Bordeaux Town Hall · In collaboration with the CNOP (National Optics and Photonics Committee, a representative body for all French Optics and Photonics clusters), the EPIC (European Photonic Industry Consortium), the AFOP (Professional Optics/Photonics Association) and the Finance & Technologie association.

The Technical Committee especially includes representatives from: SOFINNOVA PARTNERS, BOOKHAM, Quebec Photonics Network, CNOP (Comité National d’Optique et Photonique), EPIC (European Photonic Industry Consortium), ZHO (Zentrum für Optoelektronik), CEA/ALPhA.

26 / 02 / 2009