Global Photonics Economic Forum 2026
The Third Edition of the Global Photonics Economic Forum will convene September 24 – 25 in Malaga, Spain. Building on the success of the 2024 and 2025 edition this year the forum will focus on defining and sharing joint strategies to tackle the current volatile geopolitical landscape.
Global photonics and semiconductor industries are facing unprecedented disruption. Rising trade barriers, escalating global tensions, and shifting industrial policies, such as the CHIPS Act and Europe’s strategic autonomy push, are fragmenting supply chains and inflating the cost of doing business. Export controls, investment restrictions, and localisation mandates are no longer isolated events. For companies navigating this environment, resilience can no longer be built in isolation. Strategic alliances and cross-border collaboration are now essential to maintain access to critical markets, secure supply chains, and influence future standards.
Photonics is at the centre of several high-stakes global transitions, from AI compute demand and sustainable manufacturing to defense readiness and semiconductor sovereignty.
Global Photonics Economic Forum 2026 – Focus Areas
- Navigating Geopolitical Trade Dynamics and Supply Chain Resilience
- Understanding how global trade policies, strategic alliances, and regional initiatives (e.g., CHIPS Act, European Strategic Autonomy) impact photonics and semiconductor industries.
- Exploring opportunities for Europe, Japan, Singapore, and other regions to strengthen global collaborations.
- Scaling Photonics Innovations and Industrial Leadership
- Sharing strategies for turning R&D breakthroughs into scalable, commercially viable technologies.
- Insights from CEOs of billion-dollar corporations on market trends, industrial policies, and innovation roadmaps in photonics and semiconductors.
- Strategic Investment, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Impact
- Discussing venture capital perspectives, funding models, and pathways for start-ups and scale-ups.
- Highlighting the economic impact of photonics in AI, Quantum, and Data-driven technologies over the next 25 years.
- Defence, Security, and Critical Technologies for Global Stability
- Examining the role of photonics in defence, security, and strategic industries.
- Bridging innovation in photonics with global security needs and industrial resilience.
To add events to this calendar please contact the PLG, with details of the event location, dates, URL, organisers and a 50 word description.
