OREANDA-NEWS. December 18, 2015. Micro, small and medium-sized business working in a cluster of photonics, electro-optics and opto-electronics firms in North Wales can apply for a share of up to £500,000 for innovative reasearch and development projects.

Innovate UK’s North Wales photonics Launchpad competition aims to stimulate this business hotspot by helping companies to go further and faster towards commercial success.

It is being run with support from the Welsh Government and the Welsh Opto-Electronics Forum. A key element will be help for businesses to raise extra finance they need to support their projects and a programme of business support and growth activities running alongside projects.

There are around 80 companies in the Welsh photonics sector centred around St Asaph. It employs 5,000 people and is seeing steady growth of 8% a year.

We are seeking projects based on photonics, electro-optics and opto-electronics technologies that have the potential to create new products and services for a range of sectors including optical communications, manufacturing and materials processing, health and life science, lighting, energy, security and safety.

Competition information

  • the competition opens on 22 February 2016 and the deadline for video submissions is at noon on 6 April 2016
  • projects must be led by a micro, small or medium-sized company working alone or with partners
  • we expect total project sizes to be between £50,000 and £90,000 and for projects to last up to 12 months
  • micro and small businesses could receive up to 70% of their project costs and medium-sized business up to 60%
  • a briefing event will be held at The OpTIC Centre in St Asaph on 11 February 2016