SPIE and Photonics Media Prism Awards Honor Photonics Innovations in Nine Categories

At the annual gala event, awards were presented to groundbreaking technologies and products in communication, transportation, healthcare, and security

BELLINGHAM, Washington, USA and CARDIFF, UK - On February 5, at the Prism Awards, an invitation-only event held during the Photonics West Symposium in San Francisco, SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, and Photonics Media honored the best new optics and photonics products on the market.

At the 12th annual ceremony showcased a plethora of emerging companies won in each of their respective categories, besting some of the more established semi-finalists. From WaveOptics and Pendar Technologies, to Innolume and PhotoniCare - the 2018 SPIE Startup Challenge champion - all of the winners are creating and innovating photonics-driven technologies, finding solutions in rapidly evolving areas such as healthcare, transportation, communication, and security.

Each year, the Prism Awards reflect the exponential growth, exciting developments, and rich technical innovations across photonics and photonics-enabled industries. For consideration of this year's Prism Awards, SPIE received 105 applications from 18 countries. Finalists and winners were selected by a panel of international judges that includes leaders from both the technology commercialization and funding sectors.

The distinguished presenters of the Prism Awards included an expansive range of industry leaders: Fraunhofer Director Constantin L. Häfner; President and CEO of Spectrum Scientific Daphnie Chakran; PI Vice President and General Manager Dave Rego; QuantIC Programme Manager Sara Diegoli; JENOPTIK President and CEO Stefan Traeger; Thorlabs Crystalline Solutions Technology Manager Garrett Cole; Photon Fund Partner Zhenlin Li; FEMTOprint CEO and President Nicoletta Casanova; and Partner Optical Architect at Microsoft HoloLens Bernard Kress.

"The SPIE mission, to partner with researchers, educators, and industry to advance light-based research and technologies for the betterment of the human condition, shines bright during this exciting, industry-focused event," said SPIE CEO Kent Rochford. "It's an absolute pleasure to recognize and celebrate our Prism Award winners, finalists, and applicants every year. These are the scientists, innovators, and engineers who are bringing a critical range of photonics-driven solutions to vibrant life."

"It's wonderful to see firsthand the innovative spirit in action with this year's Prism Award winners," said Photonics Media President Thomas F. Laurin. "This year's honorees - from emerging and established companies alike - have made significant contributions to the world in which we live. It is our great pleasure to play a part, along with SPIE, in recognizing their work."

Below, is the complete list of the award categories, the winners, and their winning products:

• Communication: Innolume, CW Datacom Laser
• Energy: Prisma Photonics, PrismaSense
• Healthcare: PhotoniCare, TOMi Scope
• Life Sciences: TERA-print, TERA-Fab E Series
• Manufacturing: Inspekto, Inspekto S70
• Quality Control: CloudMinds, Smart MEMs Handheld Raman XI2
• Safety & Security: Pendar Technologies, Pendar X10
• Transportation: Outsight, 3D Semantic Camera
• Vision Technology: WaveOptics, Waveguides

To find out more about the Prism Awards, please visit our website.

About Photonics Media

Photonics Media publishes print and digital business-to-business magazines, buyers' guides, websites, e-newsletters and books for individuals working with light-based technologies in the photonics industry. A pioneering publisher in the discipline of photonics, Photonics Media has built a large global audience comprising academics and researchers, manufacturers and end-users. Over the past six decades, the company has fostered a tradition of innovation that has defined the industry. As its publications grow - following the technology into an ever-widening range of applications - the company adheres to a philosophy of editorial quality and integrity, maintaining an international reputation for leadership in photonics. www.photonics.com

About SPIE

SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics, an educational not-for-profit organization founded in 1955 to advance light-based science, engineering, and technology. The Society serves more than 255,000 constituents from 183 countries, offering conferences and their published proceedings, continuing education, books, journals, and the SPIE Digital Library. In 2019, SPIE provided more than $5 million in community support including scholarships and awards, outreach and advocacy programs, travel grants, public policy, and educational resources. www.spie.org