San Francisco, January 20–22, 2026
SPIE Photonics West once again confirmed its position as the world’s leading event for optics and photonics professionals in January 2026. Bringing together scientists, engineers, technology developers, and business leaders, the event offered a unique platform for innovation, collaboration, and commercial growth across lasers, imaging, biophotonics, quantum technologies, and emerging vision applications.
With five co-located exhibitions—BiOS, Photonics West, Quantum West, AR | VR | MR, and Vision Tech Expo—and an extensive conference program, Photonics West continues to serve as a central meeting point for the global photonics community.
Global Reach and Industry Impact
According to SPIE’s 2026 wrap-up, the event attracted over 23,000 registered participants and 1,580 exhibitors, underlining its importance as both a scientific and business-focused marketplace.
Alongside technical conferences, attendees benefited from industry forums, startup challenges, networking receptions, Prism Awards, and professional development activities, making Photonics West a comprehensive ecosystem for innovation and growth.
The Photonics Finland Pavilion
At the heart of the exhibition, the Photonics Finland Pavilion provided Finnish companies with a strong and unified presence at the world’s most important photonics event.
“Photonics West is the most significant yearly photonics event, where participation is important for export-oriented Finnish photonics companies. The Photonics Finland Pavilion had a succesfull week with networking and sales-focused discussions. The Pavilion serves as a meeting point for existing and new clients and the Photonics Finland community”, says Photonics Finland’s event manager Tuukka Pakarinen.
Organized by Photonics Finland, the Pavilion offered participating companies:
- Professionally designed turnkey booths
- Shared meeting and storage facilities
- Centralized visibility within the exhibition hall
- Networking and hospitality services
- Coordinated communications and support before and during the event
With over a decade of experience in organizing joint pavilions, Photonics Finland continues to strengthen Finland’s international visibility and competitiveness in photonics markets.
Photonics West 2026 – Photonics Finland Pavilion was Co-Sponsorsed by VTT, Rosendahl Nextrom, University of Eastern Finland – Center for Photonics Sciences, and EOS.
Strong Performance and Positive Feedback
Feedback from participating companies in 2026 was highly positive:
- Pavilion usability, size, and appearance: Average rating 4.6 / 5
- Service quality and arrangements: Average rating 4.8 / 5
- Achievement of company goals: Average rating 4.4 / 5
- Overall usefulness: 100% of respondents answered “Yes”
Exhibitors particularly valued the professional organization, smooth internal communication, and supportive on-site services.
Many companies highlighted that the Pavilion provided excellent opportunities to meet existing customers, attract new partners, promote core technologies, and increase international visibility.
Networking and Community Building
The Photonics Finland & Colorado Photonics Industry Association Exclusive Networking Event on Tuesday, January 20th, was rated positively, with most participants finding it beneficial for building relationships and strengthening cooperation within the Finnish and international photonics community.
In addition to formal networking, the shared Pavilion environment encouraged spontaneous discussions, technical exchanges, and collaboration between exhibitors and visitors.
Finnish Technology on Display
In 2026, the Pavilion featured eight Finnish companies and research platforms, representing a broad range of photonics expertise:
- Emberion – Visible to SWIR (400 – 2100nm) sensors and cameras using quantum dot technology
- Ampliconyx – Customizable fiber lasers and amplifiers
- VEXLUM – High-power single-frequency VECSEL lasers, backed by a fully vertically integrated fab
- ElFys – Advanced photodetectors
- PREIN – Finnish Photonics Flagship and R&I platform focused on light-based technologies from fundamental research to tailored solutions for industry
- Picophotonics – High-repetition rate, compact Q-switched microchip lasers with customized pulse durations from 100 ps to ns
- Reflekron – Reliable SESAM technology for volume production and development of ultrafast lasers
- Comptek Solutions – Industrial-scalable passivation solutions enhancing surface stability, optical performance, and device lifetime across edge-emitting lasers and III–V platforms
Together, these organizations demonstrated Finland’s strong position in laser technology, sensing, semiconductor processing, and quantum-related applications.
Development Opportunities for the Future
While overall satisfaction was high, participants also provided valuable suggestions for future Photonics Finland Pavilion improvement:
- More visual and media-rich presentation tools to better highlight technologies and use cases for example some photo- and video interview coverage would be appreciated.
- Increased advertising and branding space for individual companies
- A larger pavilion area to accommodate growing interest and participation
Many companies emphasized the importance of continued national funding instruments and organizational support to ensure broad participation in future events.
These insights will serve as an important foundation for further developing the Pavilion concept for upcoming years.
Looking Ahead to Photonics West 2027
Most respondents indicated strong interest in participating in future editions, including Photonics West 2027. Many highlighted that the Pavilion remains a highly effective way to represent Finnish photonics internationally, especially when supported by coordinated promotion and networking activities.
Photonics Finland will continue to build on the 2026 experience to enhance visibility, engagement, and business impact for participating companies.
Why Photonics West Matters for Finland
For Finnish companies and research organizations, Photonics West remains a cornerstone event because it offers:
- Direct access to global customers and partners
- Early insight into technology trends and market directions
- Opportunities for international collaboration
- High-impact visibility in a competitive global market
The Photonics Finland Pavilion plays a central role in ensuring that Finnish photonics expertise is clearly visible, professionally presented, and strategically positioned.
