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| LASER World of Photonics | |
|---|---|
| Name | LASER World of Photonics |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Trade fair, Conference |
| Frequency | Biennial |
| Venue | Messe München |
| Location | Munich, Bavaria |
| Country | Germany |
| First | 1973 |
| Organizer | Messe München |
LASER World of Photonics is an international trade fair and conference for optoelectronics, photonics, and laser technology held in Munich, Bavaria. The event gathers industry leaders, research institutions, investors, and policymakers to showcase advances in laser systems, optical components, and imaging technologies. Major participants include multinational corporations, universities, governmental agencies, and research laboratories from Europe, North America, and Asia.
The event functions as a focal point connecting exhibitors from multinational corporations such as Bosch, Siemens, Schott AG, Trumpf, and Hamamatsu Photonics with research institutions including Max Planck Society, Fraunhofer Society, Technical University of Munich, Heidelberg University, and ETH Zurich. Delegates include representatives from funding bodies like the European Commission, Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie, and venture capital firms linked to SoftBank, Sequoia Capital, and Accel Partners. Conference tracks attract speakers affiliated with organizations such as IEEE, OSA (Optical Society), SPIE, European Photonics Industry Consortium, and Photonics21. The exhibition promotes collaborations among companies listed on stock exchanges like Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Tokyo Stock Exchange, and NASDAQ.
Founded in 1973, the fair evolved alongside milestones in laser and photonics history involving pioneering work by researchers connected to institutions such as Bell Labs, MIT, Stanford University, Caltech, and University of Rochester. Over decades the program expanded during periods marked by breakthroughs from entities like IBM Research, Hitachi, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, and Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. The fair’s growth paralleled policy initiatives by the European Union, collaborations among the OECD member states, and industrial consortia such as CERN spin-offs and DARPA-funded projects. Notable turning points included integration of conferences led by SPIE and OSA (Optical Society), and partnerships with regional innovation hubs like Bavaria, Silicon Valley, and Shenzhen.
The program combines a trade exhibition at Messe München with parallel conferences, workshops, and startup competitions affiliated with organizations like EUREKA, Horizon 2020, and Horizon Europe. Sessions are chaired by academics from University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, Université Paris-Saclay, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and by industry R&D leaders from Rohm Semiconductor, Intel, Samsung Electronics, and Sony. The conference features plenary talks, panel discussions, and poster sessions tied to journals such as Nature Photonics, Science Advances, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, and Optica. Startup showcases invite accelerators like Y Combinator, Plug and Play Tech Center, and corporate venture arms of Google, Microsoft, and BASF.
Topics include solid-state lasers developed by companies like Coherent Inc. and Newport Corporation, fiber lasers from IPG Photonics, semiconductor lasers by Osram Opto Semiconductors, and ultrafast laser systems linked to research from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and University of Oxford. Photonics applications span industrial manufacturing with suppliers such as Mazak and DMG Mori, medical devices from Siemens Healthineers and Philips, telecommunications components by Nokia, Ericsson, and Huawei, and consumer electronics from Apple Inc. and Samsung. Emerging fields highlighted include quantum photonics connected to Google Quantum AI and IBM Quantum, LiDAR technologies demonstrated by Velodyne, additive manufacturing with partners like EOS GmbH, and optical sensing standards discussed with organizations such as ISO and DIN.
The fair attracts tens of thousands of attendees including procurement managers from Airbus, Boeing, and Toyota, research delegations from CNRS and CNR, and international trade missions from embassies of United States, Japan, China, and South Korea. Exhibitor profiles feature multinational corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises supported by European Investment Bank, and university spin-offs incubated by institutions like Max Planck Innovation and Cambridge Enterprise. Economic analyses cite impacts on regional supply chains involving Bavarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, cross-border investments tracked by OECD, and procurement contracts negotiated with firms listed on London Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange.
Past exhibitors and innovators have included Trumpf, IPG Photonics, Coherent Inc., ZEISS, and Thorlabs, while prize programs honor achievements recognized by awards associated with Nobel Prize in Physics laureates, German Future Prize, and distinctions from IEEE Photonics Society. Showcases have unveiled product launches such as high-power fiber lasers, compact LiDAR units, and integrated photonic chips developed in collaboration with IMEC and CSEM. Academic-industrial partnerships from University of Stuttgart, RWTH Aachen University, and Delft University of Technology have led to commercialization tracks spotlighted during the fair.
Organized by Messe München in coordination with trade associations like VDE, ZVEI, and BVMed, the event uses the exhibition halls and conference centers at Messe München near the Munich International Airport. Logistics involve coordination with the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, local transit authorities MVV (Munich Transport Corporation), and hospitality partners including international hotel groups such as Hilton Worldwide, Marriott International, and Accor. Security, customs facilitation, and intellectual property support are provided in liaison with agencies like German Patent and Trade Mark Office and trade promotion bodies such as Germany Trade & Invest.