UK Photonics Leadership Group

Quantum Showcase 2025
2025-11-07 | Business Design Centre, 52 Upper St, London, N1 0QH, United Kingdom
The UK is home to world-leading research institutions and Quantum Technology Hubs that foster collaboration between academia, industry, and government. This collaborative environment accelerates the development and commercialisation of quantum technologies.
The UK Quantum showcase highlights the latest innovations and industrial development in this key field for the future.

Quantum Industry Summit - Fourth Edition
2025-11-11 - 2025-11-12 | University of Bristol, M Shed Princes Wharf, Wapping Road, Bristol, BS1 4RN, United Kingdom
The Optica Quantum Industry Summit is back, this time for its fourth installment! This year’s edition elevates the event to new heights by taking place in Bristol, hosted by the University of Bristol, recognized as one of the global capitals of quantum technologies.
Continuing the tradition of focusing on cutting-edge developments, this year’s quantum summit will concentrate on the advancement of photonics technologies (including lasers, optics, PICs, detectors, and equipment), quantum computing, system integration, memory storage, cryptography, metrology, and information transmission.
This distinguished Summit serves as a confluence for quantum companies and their prospective supply chain partners, designed explicitly to address the industry’s demands and the substantial challenges on the horizon. Emphasizing collaboration and innovation, we aim to foster connections that spur progress and navigate the complex landscape of quantum technologies.
By situating the event at the University of Bristol, we’re at the heart of quantum innovation, offering participants an enriching experience in a city renowned for its significant contributions to the field. This setting is not just a backdrop but an active participant, embodying the spirit of discovery and advancement that defines the quantum realm.
Join us in Bristol for the fourth edition of the Optica Quantum Industry Summit, where the quantum journey continues, and the collective potential is limitless. We look forward to connecting, collaborating, and pioneering the future of quantum technologies together!

Wales Technology Week
2025-11-24 - 2025-11-26 | ICC Wales, The Coldra, Catsash Rd, Caerleon, Newport, NP18 1DE, United Kingdom
Created and powered by Technology Connected, Wales Tech Week is Wales’ largest international tech summit. It showcases Welsh technology, its ecosystem and champions the industry on the global stage, including photonics.
The international tech summit offers the best of both worlds – fusing the benefits of technology with the power of people, their interaction, exuberance, and ingenuity.
Wales Tech Week connects, promotes and develops Wales as a centre of expertise and opportunity for enabling and emerging technologies, and their applications for today’s business and society. It highlights the vital role of technology adoption for organisations across all sectors to innovate and thrive in tomorrow’s world.
Spotlighting the endless opportunities within technology, innovation, and collaboration, Wales Tech Week serves as a magnet for global engagement, investment, and talent.

Optical Communications Roadmap Launch
2025-11-24 13:00 - 17:00 (Europe/London) | Techuk, 10 St Bride St,, London, EC4A 4AD, United Kingdom
Launch event for the Optical Communications Roadmap, including inter satellite communications, ground to space and space to ground communications links as well as teh continuing growth of terrestrial optical communications for all ground based applications.
Featuring a panel discussion on Photonics for Space and Beyond

Tech UK Photonics Sprint - Defence workshop
2025-11-26 10:00 - 13:00 | Techuk, 10 St Bride St,, London, EC4A 4AD, United Kingdom
The first of a three-part event series run in collaboration with Plexal, Dell and Intel that showcases UK- based Deep Tech SMEs to Defence primes.
Future events will focus on Semiconductors & Quantum technologies

British and Irish Conference on Optics and Photonics 2025
2025-12-16 - 2025-12-18 | IET, 2 Savoy Place, London, WC2R 0BL, United Kingdom
BICOP is a flagship conference on optics and photonics in the UK and Ireland, reporting on disruptive advances in optics and photonics across diverse fields. The primary purpose of the 2.5-day conference is to showcase the UK and Ireland’s world-leading research and development in optics and photonics to global stakeholders with a proper balance of industry and academia.
BICOP 2025 will be held at IET London: Savoy Place. The location in the heart of London means that IET London: Savoy Place is fully accessible by all major transport links in the capital and has a selection of local accommodation.

Telecommunication Optics and Photonics (TOP) Conference 2026
2026-02-24 - 2026-02-25 | Kia Oval, London, United Kingdom
TOP Conference 2026 brings together experts in photonics, optical networking, quantum communications, and data-centre innovation. Held on 24–25 February 2026 in London, the event features presentations, poster sessions, and an exhibition showcasing cutting-edge technologies, fostering collaboration between industry, academia, and research to shape the future of optical technology.

Photonics 21 Annual meeting 2026
2026-06-09 - 2026-06-10 | Double Tree, Brussels, DoubleTree by Hilton Brussels City hotel., Brussels, Belgium
European Photonics Partnership Annual Meeting celebrating the 21th Anniversary of Photoncis21. A key event for networking with colleagues across Europe. Essential for those looking to join European collaborative research and innovation consortia and understand the direction of European funding, much of which is open to UK participation.
With keynotes from the European Commission and panel discussion on the future of Photonics in the next European framework programme.
The meeting will feature presentation of the next photonics multiyear strategic research and Innovation agenda to the Commission which will be finalised over the coming months by the Photonics21 working group.

SPIE Sensors + Imaging
2026-09-14 - 2026-09-17 | Edinburgh International Conference Centre, The Exchange, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH3 8EE, United Kingdom
The premier yearly European combining two of Europe’s best photonics conferences – Environmental Remote sensing and Security + Defeence. An event that showcases the latest sensor and photonic technologies for imaging and monitoring the Earth’s atmosphere and environment, as well as sensor technologies that address homeland security, defence, and counterterrorism.
Meet face-to-face with top companies at the free 2-day exhibition. Discuss your sensing and imaging needs with suppliers who will be there to help solve problems, cut costs, and increase capabilities.

Microelectronics UK featuring Photonics UK
2026-09-29 - 2026-09-30 | ExCel Centre London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London, London, E16 1XL, United Kingdom
The UK’s microelectronics and semiconductor industry is poised for significant growth, driven by increasing demand across key sectors such as automotive, telecommunications, defence and healthcare.
Given this robust outlook, Microelectronics UK incorporating Photonics UK, Semiconductors UK and and Embedded Systems UK and has a pivotal role to play in showcasing cutting-edge innovations, fostering collaboration, expediting domestic and international trade, while highlighting the UK’s leadership in photonics, compound semiconductors and semiconductor design.
Attendees will gain insights into market trends, establish and explore strategic and commercial partnerships, and leverage emerging opportunities in a rapidly evolving global landscape, with focused content on photonic, semiconductors and embedded systems all in one place.

Photonics Means 2026
2026-10-01 | Technology and Innovation Centre, Glasgow, 99 George Street, Glasgow, United Kingdom
The second, Photonics Means, meeting in Glasgow will bring together the UK photonics community building on the successful 20025 edition 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 thought leaders in the field. Photonics Means will feature a table top exhibition and a range of talks across three themes of technology, growth and people. Maximising network and interaction across industry and academia and between all career stages Photonics Means is an ideal opportunity to gain insights into what photonics will mean for your future products, profits, career and research.
Thursday 1 October 2025, 8am to 6pm, Technology and Innovation Centre, 99 George Street, Glasgow G1 1RD
