38 representatives from New York Photonics Optics, Photonics and Imaging companies convened on Monday, December 14th to discuss the role of small and medium-sized businesses (SME’s) in AIM Photonics. AIM Photonics is one of the key institutes in president Obama’s National Network of Manufacturing Innovation. Vice President Joe Biden was in Rochester to announce AIM Photonics on July 27th, 2015.
The meeting was hosted by New York Photonics, and included representatives from RIT and the University of Rochester, who both gave presentations.
Several New York Photonics companies signed NDA’s and support letters for the AIM Photonics application and have been looking for a conduit to connect with the Institute. New York Photonics, New York State’s Photonics industry representation organization for over 15 years, also signed an NDA and support letter for the AIM application, and has been seeking to connect with the Institute on behalf of New York State’s SME’s as component suppliers, manufacturing experts, R&D centers, optics & photonics education experts and commercialization partners.
Participants at the meeting were enthusiastic about working with AIM going forward on efforts around micro-optics, interposer materials and technologies, sensors and custom devices for specific industries.