Photonics
Photonics is the science and technology of light. This includes lasers, optical systems and components, as well as fibre optics. Photonics is a £13.5 billion industry in the UK, with the technology used across various UK industries and in society, from optical communications and data storage to laser sensors for autonomous vehicles.
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The Innovate UK Business Connect Enabling Technologies team supports 1,500+ photonics and photonics-enabled companies, and the vibrant UK photonics research base in the UK.
Our people create connections between photonics professionals and end-users in various sectors, from healthcare to AgriFood. This helps them fast-track the innovative technologies they’re working on.
We support the growth of UK photonics and are determined to promote the sector widely. We do this by working with photonics and related stakeholder groups and associations across the UK.
Our team has a deep expertise including photonics, laser, fibre, optical, optics, photovoltaic and imaging.
Innovate UK Business Connect is a partner in the European project that supports the Photonics21 platform. Photonics21 aims to establish Europe as a leader in the development of photonics technologies within applications fields such as ICT, lighting, industrial manufacturing, life science, safety, education and training.
We are proud to have contributed to the groundbreaking horizon scanning report “Future horizons for photonics research 2030 and beyond”, released in September 2020 by the Photonics Leadership Group (PLG) and the All-Party Parliamentary Group in Photonics and Quantum. We used our experience of online collaboration to support PLG in bringing together online 26 of the UK’s leading photonics researchers from 20 different institutions to ask “what will be the focus of photonics research a decade and more from now?”.
Our current focus in this area
Related Opportunities
Contracts for Innovation: Enabling Commercial Quantum Networking
Opens: 14/04/2026 Closes: 20/05/2026
Organisations can apply for a share of £20m to develop a deployable prototype of an enabling component or sub-system for commercial quantum networking.
More Information
Contracts for Innovation: ProQure - Scaling UK Quantum Computing
Opens: 27/03/2026 Closes: 29/05/2026
Organisations can apply for up to £14m in phase 1 to develop, build and validate integrated quantum computing hardware and software to demonstrate commercial scale deployment and applications of your quantum computing solution.
More Information
ACTASAP Pathfinder 2026
Opens: 14/04/2026 Closes: 29/04/2026
ACTASAP Pathfinder is a bootcamp delivered over four days for academics in Advanced Connectivity Technologies, providing the necessary guidance and support for researchers to commercialise their research and innovations.
More Information
Related Events and Recordings
Related News
11/11/2022
Quantum Leap: UK quantum tech showcases enormous progress at industry get-together
Over 1,000 delegates packed into the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London on Friday 11 November to see the great technological strides made in the field of quantum technology at the 6th Quantum Showcase.
Read more
22/04/2024
UKRI invest £8m into the Workforce Foresighting Hub
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, has announced an £8 million investment into the Workforce Foresighting Hub programme.