A £18.5bn industry employing over 84,800 people in the UK with nationally leading productivity and global industrial and societal impact
A fully searchable directory of all companies, research organisations and universities engaged in Photonics and Quantum in the UK
Photonics21 presented the latest European Photonics Roadmap, the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) Light Driving the Future, to the European commission at the Photonics21 annual meeting on the 9 June 2026. Light Driving the Future is the sector’s most significant strategic update since Horizon Europe began and set out a vision for teh next…
To Express your Interest in participating in developing the National Photonics Roadmap, please complete the on-line expression of interest. Invitations to participate in the in-person workshop will be drawn from those completing the EoI, subject to constraints of the venue, balance of contributions and discretion of our government partners. Following the Council for Science and Technology…
The UK government’s Council for Science and Technology (CST), which provides independent advice to the Prime Minister on science and technology policy issues across government, has highlighted the vital role of photonics in keeping the whole economy competitive. Photonics: Capturing the Opportunities for Growth and Global Leadership emphasises the growth opportunity, strong UK Leadership in…
Seeking a photonics champion to lead the UK industry voice for the 21st century The Photonics Leadership Group (PLG) is hiring a network/cluster manager to improve awareness of photonics and foster growth within the field. The ideal candidate will be an enthusiastic, organised and self-motivated, capable of listening and interpreting what is important to all…
UK Government has opened a new rapid consultation on reducing electricity costs for energy intensive industries:- British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme: consultation on scheme eligibility and approach – GOV.UK – 24 November 2025. The proposed British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) is aimed at reducing the high electricity prices experience by energy intensive UK manufacturers. Qualification will…
Innovate UK are are including photonics in their next Future Tech Deep Dive series. The objective of this event series is to look into the future and scan the horizon for long-term innovations of significant potential impact with key technology areas. The series aims to bring together thought-provoking experts from business, science, academia responsible for…
TechUK have launched a five month Photonics Sprint to identify key Photonics applications, showcase bestpractice, and explore how the UK can lead on the development and deployment of Photonics technologies. The sprint will conclude with a report(launching Q1/2 2026) which will summarise the campaign’s findings, feature member & stakeholder case studies, and set out policyrecommendations…
The Photonics21 Board of Stakeholder election will be open 21 October to 4 November 2025. A number of the current UK members of the Board of Stakeholders will be up for re-election this year and need your vote to continue to represent your interests in the design and scope of European photonics funding. With the…
A new annual UK Photonics meeting, Photonics Means, will see its inaugural edition on Friday 10 October, at the technology and Innovation Centre in Glasgow. Meeting demand for an annual gathering of the UK photonics community bringing together the next generation of photonics innovators, spotlights on key regional strengths around the UK and inspiration from…
The Photonics Leadership Group AGM will be on the 9 October 2025, forming part of the PLG Autumn meeting at the Technology and Innovation Centre Glasgow and online.
As part of succession planning, nominations are now open for the new role of Deputy Chief Executive (DCE) to be appointed by member vote at the AGM. The DCE role will shadow the PLG Chief Executive for at least a year, with a view to succeeding them in leading the PLG in the future, subject to confirmation vote by the membership. Please contact the PLG to discuss expectations for the DCE role.
The AGM will also include summary of PLG activity for 2025, approval of the accounts and confirmation of the appointments of the PLG Chair-person, Vice-Chair and Treasurer and Photonics Leadership Ltd directors.
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