Leading Economic Development Organization and Industry Association Join Forces to Promote the
Greater Rochester, NY region as the Leader in Optics, Photonics, Imaging, and Laser Technologies
Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE), the leading economic development organization in the nine-county Greater Rochester, NY region, and New York Photonics, a nonprofit industry cluster organization dedicated to promoting and enhancing the New York State optics, photonics, imaging, and laser technologies (OPIL) industry, have formed a strategic alliance. The partnership allows both organizations to leverage Greater Rochester, NY’s advantage in OPIL technologies to support business attraction and expansion in the region.
“Greater Rochester, NY is the world leader in optics, photonics, imaging, and laser technologies,” said Matt Hurlbutt, GRE President and CEO. “Partnering with New York Photonics enables us to better leverage our regional assets on a global scale, further accelerating the trend of world-class businesses choosing to grow in this region.”
The Greater Rochester, NY region is rich with knowledge, experience, and innovation in optics manufacturing, photonics, metrology, and imaging. Currently, more than 150 OPIL companies employ approximately 19,000 residents in the region. Since 2017, more than $1.1 billion in new capital investments and 4,300 new jobs have been created to fuel the sector’s regional growth.
“We have a strategic edge in optics, photonics, imaging, and laser technology that is second to none,” said Dr. Alexis Vogt, the newly appointed executive director of New York Photonics. “This partnership between GRE and New York Photonics turns that potential into progress. We’re excited to work together to tell our story and drive the economic growth our community deserves.”
The region is also a research and development hub supported by the University of Rochester’s Institute of Optics, the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Monroe Community College, and Rochester Institute of Technology. In addition, there are outstanding resources at Alfred University and the New York State College of Ceramics’ Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology to support this industry cluster.
Approximately 60 percent of all optics degrees in the US are awarded by institutions in the Greater Rochester, NY region. The region is also the number one major metro for optics patents, driven by Rochester’s patent activity in OLED, digital imaging, glass wafers for smartphones, advanced microscopy, and countless other innovations.
These sector strengths reinforce why the region is a finalist for a $160 million National Science Foundation (NSF) Engines Award focused on the Science, Technology, and Engineering of Lasers and Laser Applications Research (STELLAR), including enabling technologies for advanced chip manufacturing, laser packaging & integration. This award has the potential to grow a regional laser ecosystem that will benefit industries such as science, manufacturing, energy, biomedical, and national security applications, reinforcing Rochester’s global leadership in optics and photonics, imaging, and lasers.
To support the partnership, both GRE and NY Photonics will attend SPIE Photonics West, the world’s largest photonics technologies event held January 20 – January 22 in San Francisco, CA.
About Greater Rochester Enterprise:
Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE) is the leading regional economic development organization committed to attracting new capital investments and creating regional wealth and new jobs throughout the Greater Rochester, NY region. As a trusted advisor, GRE connects businesses with the right people and resources to spur business attraction and expansion in the region. If your company is growing, call GRE. The GRE team will confidentially help you access commercial real estate, business partners, local suppliers, economic incentives, world-class R&D assets, workforce recruitment, and training resources to address your business growth needs.
About New York Photonics Cluster:
New York Photonics (NYP) is recognized as one of the largest and most influential optics, photonics, imaging, and laser technologies (OPIL) clusters in the world, uniting business, academia, professional organizations, and government to advance light-based industries across New York State. Its members drive innovation in the design and production of lenses, lasers, sensors, and related devices that are used across all advanced manufacturing sectors – creating jobs, strengthening communities, and fueling economic growth across New York State. With deep roots dating to the 1850s, NYP catalyzes research, accelerates advanced manufacturing, builds the workforce pipeline, and sustains one of the most integrated OPIL supply chains in the nation. Founded in 2001 as the Rochester Regional Photonics Cluster, NYP now represents more than 150 companies and organizations statewide.