What does the UK’s photonics industry need to succeed?

Photonics – the science and technology of light – is an enabling technology that is fundamental to applications across multiple sectors (including telecoms, healthcare, defence, and manufacturing) and technologies (such as AI, quantum, and semiconductors).

The sector is worth £18.5 billion to the UK economy and employs over 84,000 people.

Over the past fivemonths, techUK’s Photonics Sprint Campaign has convened leading experts from across the UK’s photonics ecosystem to identify how the UK can build on its world-renowned research and industrial capability to ensure future leadership in photonics. Our member companies have been at the heart of this campaign, shaping its focus and sharing expertise and best practice through speaking and writing opportunities. 

This workshop – the final event of the sprint campaign – will see key members and stakeholders come together to learn about the main findings from the sprint campaign and feed into the creation of techUK’s subsequent photonics policy recommendations.

The recommendations will be included in techUK’s first photonics report, to be circulated with participants in the coming months before being launched and socialised with key decision-makers across the UK’s photonics sector.

With this in mind, workshop participants will discuss: 

• Policy frameworks supporting photonics adoption in the UK 

• Investment priorities and promising funding pathways 

• The UK’s photonics skills pipeline and ideas for workforce development 

• The role of the UK’s photonics ecosystem (including clusters) in driving innovation and adoption 

• The infrastructure required to support photonics development, deployment, and scale-up 

This is your chance to join policymakers, industry leaders, and academic experts in shaping techUK’s priorities and policy asks around photonics technologies, with the aim of driving long-term growth, resilience, and competitiveness.  

Click here to register your interest in participating. 

For more information about this event or techUK's Photonics Sprint Campaign, please contact: