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The main focus of the event will be on the healthcare, energy and telecommunications sectors, and 20 companies currently seeking financing have already registered projects with strong growth potential. The deadline for registration is 30 September.
On 11 and 12 December 2008, Bordeaux will be the leading meeting place for the photonics sector, with close to 150 of the sector’s key decision-makers present at Invest in Photonics, along with investors (from venture capital funds, development capital funds, corporate venture funds and business banks), market analysts, and representatives of companies that use photonics, in fields ranging from the environment, security and biotech, to the medical and manufacturing sectors.
In order to bring together the required expertise, the organisers of the event have set up a technical committee of international professionals from the worlds of industry and finance. Their role is to approve the technical content and presentations submitted by companies seeking financing. The technical committee includes representatives from Bookham, Canadian Photonics Consortium, CEA/ALPhA, CNOP (Comité National d’Optique et Photonique), EPIC (European Photonic Industry Consortium), Quebec Photonics Network, Sofinnova Partners, and ZHO (Zentrum für Optoelektronik).
Securing financing is a significant issue for innovative companies: there have already been 20 projects submitted to the Invest in Photonics technical committee. The deadline for additional registrations is 30 September 2008. The objective of Invest in Photonics is to find 40 companies interested in seeking funds or financial partners, as well as to present spin-off projects.
There will be a particular focus on the healthcare sector and technology, with technologies such as medical lasers, biophotonics and medical imaging. Potential applications of photonics in this sector include examining the human body with a micro camera, fast-mapping cells and genes, curing illnesses by destroying only diseased cells with a laser beam, using the eyes to communicate (for severely disabled people), removing vascular injury and remodelling the skin.
Another key theme during the event will be energy (photovoltaic and lighting). Potential applications of photonics in this sector include renewable energy that allows the production of power by transforming a fraction of solar radiation into electricity, using a photovoltaic cell. This market is experiencing significant growth, with an increase of 33% since 1999. Multiple applications and innovations continue to be developed, and the resource is virtually unlimited – using 5% of the surface of the world’s existing deserts would be enough to supply the entire planet with energy.
The final key theme will be telecommunications, with a particular focus on applications in general consumer electronics, screens and sensors. The event will cover technology in general use, such as LEDs used in the headlights of certain cars, dynamic display keyboards, mobile phones and indoor mood lighting.
Invest in Photonics will be held over two days and will be based around three key elements. The first element of the event will be Business Time, which will help the representatives of start-ups and SMEs meet potential investors. The second element, Market Time, will enable participants to find out about market trends through conferences and round tables with leading experts in the field. Finally, Innovation Time will facilitate meetings and presentations, through photonics-related technological workshops and company on-site visits, such as the Innovative Products Show Room and Megajoule Laser Visit (MJL).
About Invest in Photonics
Invest in Photonics will be held from 11 to 12 December 2008 at the Regent Grand Hotel in Bordeaux (in south-western France). The event is being initiated by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the CEA (French Atomic Energy Commission) and the ALPhA Route des Lasers cluster, with financial support from the European Union, the French Government, the Regional Council of Aquitaine, the County Council of Gironde, the Bordeaux Urban Community, and the Bordeaux municipal authority. It is also being backed by CNOP (the French National Optics and Photonics Committee), EPIC (European Photonic Industry Consortium) and Finance & Technologie (a French association that promotes investment in innovative projects).
About Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Industry represents the 44,000 companies based within Bordeaux and its region. It has three main roles: to assist companies in their development; to represent companies before the authorities; and, finally, to develop further the economy of Bordeaux and the surrounding region.
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contact.ftpb[.]ubifrance.fr 
