As the United Nations prepares to celebrate the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies in 2015, the photonics industry is buoyant about the many material-based science innovations poised on the tipping point of mainstream commercial adoption, announce the organizers of Invest in Photonics today.
Invest in Photonics, a two-day international business partnering convention focusing exclusively on photonics venture capital investment, takes place October 9 – 10, 2014, in Bordeaux, France.
With the needs for industry growth, job creation and other societal and environmental challenges, event organizers are keen to point the investment community towards the new technological advances that will bring them fast returns. New advances in photonics, a technology that uses light to run devices and transmit data, is in the process of revolutionizing healthcare, transforming computing and manufacturing as well as addressing challenges in energy-efficiency with intelligent light management systems.
“Photonics is finally getting closer to the consumer,” said Thierry Thevenin, head of the Invest in Photonics organizing committee. “Beyond broadband access, smartphones and tablets or laser eye surgery, people will start to see more photonics-based diagnostics equipment used to treat age and life-style related diseases. Among key developments on the rise are wearable computing and intelligent lighting. One of the main issues we’ll be addressing at this year’s event will be how to invest correctly in R&D to pursue the various applications that will impact our lives and transform society. At Invest in Photonics, influential global players provide those insights that participants can turn into profitable and saleable ventures.”
“Photonics is one of the key enabling technologies for Europe and the rest of the world. Access to financing is probably the number one barrier in the development of a huge range of new products and companies. So the topic is absolutely critical,” said Paul Thurk, managing director of the European office of Arch Venture Partners. "Invest in Photonics brings capital and good ideas together to help solve that problem.”
Arch Venture Partners is an international investment firm based in the US that finances entrepreneurs developing disruptive technologies. Mr. Thurk will take part in the VC roundtable at the event.
The Internet of Things (IoT), where any natural or man-made object - from your refrigerator to a heart monitoring implant - can be assigned an IP address and have the ability to transfer data over a network, is seen as one of the next major market opportunities driven by photonics. It is a market high on the Invest in Photonics agenda. It is expected to reach USD 70bn by 2018 (source: ‘Technologies and Sensors for the Internet of Things’ report, Yole Developpement, June 2014). This signals big exit values for venture capitalists.
Photonics-based diagnostics equipment are table-top machines that will provide diagnostics directly from the hospital to the doctor’s office. Diagnostics will be complemented by ‘lab on chip’ biosensors that are non-invasive, light-based and ultra-sensitive. As the cost of diagnostics drops considerably, so its market adoption will increase.
