Photonics: A Vision for UK Leadership in Light-Based Technologies

Wednesday 27 May 2026 @ 09:05
techUK

techUK has published its first report on photonics, the science and technology of light, which sets out how the UK can position itself as a global leader in photonics technologies and lead the next wave of photonics innovation and deployment.

The report follows a six-month focus on Photonics in which techUK held roundtables, webinars, panel discussions and written contributions from dozens of member companies, government representatives and academic experts.

The Opportunity

The UK photonics sector generates approximately £8.6 billion in economic value, employs 84,000 people across 1,400 companies, and sits at the heart of a global market forecast to exceed £1 trillion by 2030.

The UK has genuinely competitive strengths across photonics technologies including fibre optics, optical communications, laser systems, imaging and instrumentation, and emerging fields such as photonic integrated circuits (PICs), quantum photonics, and neuromorphic photonics, and is home world-class research in the field.

Photonics report front cover only.jpg 1

Click here for the full press release

Channel website: http://www.techuk.org/

Original article link: https://www.techuk.org/resource/photonics-a-vision-for-uk-leadership-in-light-based-technologies.html

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