The Rochester/Finger Lakes region has been selected by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) as one of the newest Regional Innovation Engines, marking a major federal investment in the future of laser technology and U.S. manufacturing competitiveness.

Led by the University of Rochester, STELLAR (Science, Technology, and Engineering for Laser and Laser Applications Research) will launch with $15 million from NSF over the next two years, matched by $16 million in New York State support over the next six, to build a globally competitive hub for laser research, commercialization, and workforce development.

A defining moment for U.S. leadership

While the Rochester region has long been a global leader in optics, photonics, and imaging, much of the manufacturing and supply chain for laser technologies has shifted overseas.

“Lasers are critical to almost every aspect of modern technology—from medical devices to communications to defense,” said Dr. Sujatha Ramanujan, managing director and chief investment officer of NextCorps Luminate. “However, the U.S. makes less than 30 percent of the lasers we use. That creates both an opportunity and a necessity—and we’re uniquely positioned to respond.”

The NSF STELLAR Engine represents a coordinated effort to reverse that trend, bringing together research institutions, industry, startups, and workforce partners to rebuild a domestic pipeline.

“This is a moment where we have a very real opportunity to reclaim leadership in a foundational technology,” Ramanujan said. “We already have the infrastructure, the talent, and the legacy of innovation here. Now it’s about aligning those strengths with focus and execution.”

Thomas Brown, the director of URochester’s Institute of Optics, a Luminate advisory board member, and STELLAR principal investigator (PI), says, “The same region that led revolutions in photography, xerography, optical physics, and precision optics is ideally positioned to lead the future of laser technology.”

Where Luminate fits in

As the nation’s only accelerator dedicated to optics, photonics, and imaging, Luminate will play a central role in translating breakthrough laser solutions into scalable companies. The program, administered by NextCorps, has already supported nearly 100 startups working at the forefront of optics, photonics, imaging and laser technologies.

“Our role is to identify and support the next generation of laser companies and help them get to market,” Ramanujan said. “That’s where Luminate and NextCorps are critical—bridging the gap between innovation and commercialization.”

This includes leveraging Luminate’s existing infrastructure, mentorship model, and investment platform to accelerate startups emerging from within the region and beyond. It may also mean adapting and expanding the program to meet the needs of a growing pipeline of laser-focused ventures.

“We’re going to use the foundation we’ve built with Luminate to push this agenda forward,” she said. “That includes how we source companies, how we support them, and how we connect them into the broader ecosystem.”

Building a workforce to match the opportunity

Beyond technology and startups, a core pillar of the NSF STELLAR Engine is workforce development: ensuring that innovation can be manufactured, scaled, and sustained domestically.

“You can develop a breakthrough technology, but if you don’t have the workforce to build it, you have a problem,” Ramanujan said.

The initiative will work across the education spectrum—from activating interest at the K–8 grade levels, to high schools and community colleges, to advanced degree programs—to create accessible pathways into high-skill careers in optics and laser manufacturing.

“This isn’t just about PhDs,” she added. “We need technicians, engineers, and skilled workers at every level. Building that talent base is fundamental to making this work.”

“One of the biggest gaps in the laser industry today is the building of its workforce,” agrees Dr. Alexis Vogt, Barbara and John H. Bruning endowed director of the Optical Systems Technology program at Monroe Community College; and executive director of the New York Photonics industry association. As the co-PI of STELLAR’s Education and Workforce Development pillar, Vogt sees the NSF Engine award as an opportunity for all educational programs across the region to work collaboratively and expand their collective impact.

“Our 11-county region is home to 1.2 million people with tremendous untapped potential. Through the STELLAR initiative, we are expanding access to laser training and education across all degree levels—particularly in rural communities—and creating new pathways into the industry for remote learners, military veterans, the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community, and individuals whose degrees have left them underemployed,” said Vogt. “By opening these doors, we can build the skilled workforce needed to power the next generation of laser technologies.”