With more than 150 optics companies and counting, the Rochester region is a major innovation hub, backed by strong industry collaboration and a steady pipeline of talent from local universities. This unique strength was on display at SPIE Photonics West 2025, the largest photonics event in the world. As the event came to a close late last month, Luminate’s Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer, Dr. Sujatha Ramanujan, spoke with News10NBC about Rochester’s industry leadership. “We are probably one of the biggest regional, if not the biggest regional sector, exhibiting in this incredibly large international conference,” said Dr. Ramanujan. She emphasized that while the region’s contributions to photonics may not always dominate headlines, Rochester continues to lead advancements in the field. From cancer detection and solar energy to semiconductors and AI chip design, Rochester-based photonics technologies are making an impact worldwide. “We’re poised for a lot of growth,” Ramanujan added. “Hang on to your hat—I think it’s going to be excellent.” Watch the full interview Remembering Jay Kumler Luminate and the optics and photonics community lost a remarkable leader, mentor, and friend with the passing of Jay Kumler on February 10. As an advisory board member, Jay had a profound

As we enter into the selection process for Luminate’s eighth cohort, the impact of our work continues to grow beyond our original vision. Drawing on the methodologies that have made Luminate a trusted leader, the ChargeUp accelerator just wrapped recruitment for its second cohort. We’re eager to see the next wave of battery and energy storage innovators entering the program, and to continue mentoring the ChargeUp team. Meanwhile, the STELLAR Engine project — co-led by Luminate’s Managing Director, Dr. Sujatha Ramanujan — attracted critical funding in 2024, expanding Rochester’s capacity to bolster cutting-edge laser technologies. Our reach is extending further, and with it, the possibilities for science, industry, leadership, and so much more. Over the next few weeks, our staff and advisory board will be reviewing a record-breaking number of applications for cohort 8, proving there’s no shortage of ideas for what’s next in deep tech. Be on the look out for more details on the next group of promising startups selected to join Luminate. Join us in fueling the growth of OPI There are many ways to get involved in the world’s only accelerator for OPI — from sponsorships that directly support Luminate portfolio companies; to engagement in key

Over the past seven years, Luminate has helped more than 70 startups advance their technologies, scale their businesses, and secure funding. Now, it’s your turn to join this transformative program. As the year winds down, we’re gearing up for our next incredible group of startups. Don’t miss your opportunity to receive $100K in immediate funding, seven months of hands-on mentorship from industry leaders matched to your specific needs, and the chance to compete for up to $1M in follow-on funding. Apply by January 10! Still deciding if Luminate is the right fit for your company? Get your final questions answered on Tuesday, January 7 at 1:00 PM EST during our last info session of this round of Luminate. We’ll walk through the application process and offer tips for a strong application. Register for the session. 3 Things That Can Make or Break a Luminate Application Luminate is a highly competitive program with only 10-12 spots per cohort. Make your submission more effective by considering these tips from Luminate’s Director of Technology Integration, Dr. Damon Diehl. These three things can make or break an application. 1. Be Clear About Your Tie to OPI The first and most important thing is to

The University of Rochester’s STELLAR engine project has been named one of five New York initiatives advancing in the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Engines program. As recently announced by Senator Chuck Schumer, STELLAR now joins a select group with the chance to compete for up to $160M in federal investment under the CHIPS & Science Law. The project has already received a $1M NSF Regional Innovation Engines grant to build a laser and optics technology ecosystem in the Rochester-Finger Lakes Region. A collaboration between key institutions — including the U of R’s Institute of Optics, the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Monroe Community College, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Luminate, and Greater Rochester Enterprise — STELLAR’s co-leaders include Luminate’s Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer, Dr. Sujatha Ramanujan, and Luminate advisory board member, Dr. Thomas Brown. The project aims to expand career and training opportunities in optics and photonics for a diverse talent pool, including underserved and rural communities, and to reinforce Rochester’s role as a center for innovation in these fields. (Article image courtesy of the University of Rochester / J. Adam Fenster) Applications Open for Cohort 8 Each year, our portfolio grows larger, stronger, and more diverse. Will you

Luminate Finals 2024 was held on September 26 at Innovation Square in downtown Rochester, NY, marking the culmination of another impressive year for startups harnessing optics, photonics, or imaging to bring groundbreaking technologies to market. More than 900 registered for the event, with nearly 240 people attending in person. This year’s competition showcased innovative solutions across industries like AI, healthcare, and manufacturing, highlighting the international reach and impact of Luminate’s efforts to drive industry technologies forward. If you missed this great event, here’s a quick recap on all the winners of Luminate 2024: Company of the Year: Nicslab, based in Silicon Valley, was awarded $1 million in follow-on investment. Nicslab is a fabless chip company developing integrated circuits for optical solutions in data centers, AI, instrumentation, and quantum computing. Their compact solution integrates power supply, signal processor, sensors, and controls into a single device, significantly improving performance and cost efficiency for industries like AI, healthcare, and manufacturing. The company will use the funding to manufacture and package its next generation of electronics and photonics integrated circuits at AIM Photonics facilities in New York. Outstanding Graduate Award: iLoF (Intelligent Lab on Fiber), based in the UK, secured $500,000 for its Al-powered

Witness the #BoundlessPotential of the next 10 startups destined to change the world! Luminate is just one month away from its biggest event of the year. Join us on September 26 live at The Theatre at Innovation Square in Rochester, NY, or online, at 4:00PM EDT to see what’s in store for augmented and extended reality, drug discovery and application, radiation therapy, quantum devices, disease screening, traffic safety, optical solutions, and more. You’ll also benefit from our panel discussion on AI, Optics, and Ethics. With the rise of AI, more and more companies are integrating optics to collect personal data, such as facial recognition, without considering the privacy and long-term implications. At the end, cast your vote for your favorite startup to help them take home $10K in cash and applaud the winners of Luminate’s pool of $2 million in follow-on funding! Register now for the free event to reserve your spot and get important updates as the event draws near! Get Ready for Cohort 8! With one month left in programming for this cohort, our staff is turning its attention to finding the next group of startups that could benefit from participating in the Luminate accelerator. If you’re working

We know funding is a big reason why startups choose to apply to Luminate. With an immediate $100K investment and the potential to receive up to $1M from New York State at the end of the program, the dollar signs are enticing. What many of our teams don’t immediately understand but quickly discover is that the greater value lies in the depth of business training; the specific, tech- and needs-based mentoring; and the many opportunities to form connections with industry experts, suppliers, manufacturers, and, yes, investors. All of it adds up to a sound business — one that attracts funding well beyond the six months at Luminate. Slightly more than half-way through their time with us, the teams of cohort 7 have taken over 40 workshops. They’re now prepping for multiple investor pitch opportunities starting next month, and we’re getting closer to Luminate’s culmination — and the awarding of the big checks — at Finals 2024 in late September. Registration for Luminate Finals 2024 is now open! Join us online or in person in the heart of Downtown Rochester to see for yourself how the startups of Luminate’s cohort 7 are unlocking new solutions, solving pressing problems, and disrupting entire

It’s true that it takes a village to launch a new business. From the early stages, tech startups need to collaborate with the right supply-chain vendors to get on the path to commercialization and initial revenue. That’s why we host our regional showcase each year — to help facilitate those connections between Luminate teams and vetted service providers. Part mini trade show, part matchmaking event, our fifth annual showcase welcomed seventeen organizations from throughout the region to share their core capabilities with the startups of cohort 7 earlier this month. Big thanks to all who participated and helped our teams see the possibilities for their business here in Rochester! (View the list here.) Part of cohort 7’s latest in-person visit involved getting out of the “classroom” and into real facilities. We toured Optimax Systems, the largest precision optics manufacturer in the United States; and we took a two-part trip to the Rochester Institute of Technology to get an in-person look at its Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS) and the amazing R&D resources available at the labs of its Future Photon Initiative. Podcast flashback: Optimax started in a barn in Webster, NY more than three decades ago and is now the

Kickoff week is always exciting, but this year’s commencement was extra special for a few reasons. For one, we welcomed our most international cohort yet, with seven out of ten teams hailing from outside of the States. We were also joined by partners from New Energy New York and Binghamton University’s Koffman Southern Tier Incubator, who were shadowing our onboarding process in preparation for launching the brand new ChargeUp Battery Accelerator. (More below.) And finally, the first day of cohort 7 was marked by a celestial marvel — a total solar eclipse! While Rochester was in the path of totality, the clouds got in the way of the eclipse experience we were hoping for. Nevertheless, we had a great time marking the event with a party on NextCorps’ rooftop patio, watching the city skyline quickly fade into near complete darkness. The rapid light and temperature shifts were remarkable. So was the complete silence that fell over the city for nearly four memorable minutes. (From left to right: Luminate advisory board member, Linda Smith; Luminate’s Managing Director, Dr. Sujatha Ramanujan; and Lisa Belodoff, Founder & CEO of Bell Collaborative) These women in optics get it. Did you know in low-light conditions,