Invest in Photonics, set for 11-12 December in Bordeaux, is gaining momentum with the announcement of a technical committee, which will validate company presentations.
The technical committee has been set up and, three months before the Invest in Photonics event, about 20 companies have already registered projects with strong growth potential.
The deadline for registration is September 30.
Three market themes stand out: energy, health and telecommunications.
On December 11 and 12, Bordeaux will be the leading meeting place for photonics with close to 150 sector decision-makers present.
Invest in Photonics was designed to gather Bordeaux photonics decision-makers, investors (venture capital funds, development capital funds, corporate venture and business banks), market analysts, and companies involved in the many application sectors including biotechnology environment, health, industrial production, security, and more.
In order to combine expertise, quality, and performance, convention organisers have set up a technical committee of international industry and finance professionals.
This committee is in charge of validating the technical content and presentations submitted by companies who are seeking financing.
The objective is to introduce 40 companies interested in seeking funds or financial partners and to present spin-off projects (major industrial groups' expansion).
Obtaining financing to materialise technological choices is a significant issue to companies with innovative projects.
Strong growth markets include energy, health, and telecommunications.
Among projects that meet international demand, we find energy (photovoltaic, lighting, etc).
This is about renewable energy that allows the production of power by transforming part of solar radiation into electricity, using a photovoltaic cell coming straight out of photonic technology research.
This market is growing significantly, up 33 per cent since 1999.
Multiple applications and innovations keep emerging, and the resource is virtually unlimited (solar radiation from five per cent of existing deserts would suffice to supply the entire planet).
Another theme with a strong presence is health (medical lasers, biophotonics, medical imaging, etc).
Photonics in this area is applicable in many functions including: examining the human body with a micro camera, fast-mapping cells and genes, curing sickness by destroying only diseased cells with a laser beam, communicating through the eyes for the severely motor-handicapped, removing vascular injury, remodelling the skin, and more.
Lastly, the telecommunications section (general consumer electronics, screens, information technology, sensors, etc) gathers technologies utilised by the general public, such as LED headlights for cars, dynamic display keyboards, mobile phones or indoor mood lighting.
Invest in Photonics will be held over two days and around three key collaborative sessions: the first will be 'Business Time', helping start-ups and small to medium enterprises meet with potential investors.
The second, 'Market Time', will be an opportunity to learn all about market trends thanks to opinion leaders and their forecasts.
Lastly, 'Innovation Time' will facilitate the display of know-how in the shape of an Innovative Products Show Room and the Megajoule Laser (MJL) Visit.
