The Luminate Lightning Round, to be held November 8, will feature 26 optics, photonics, and imaging startups competing to win a spot in the accelerator. Each of the 10 winning companies will receive admission into the 6-month accelerator program, which starts in January, along with an initial $100K investment and a chance to compete for $2 million more in investments that will be announced at the demo day in June 2018.
This Lightning Round event will host companies from around the world and will feature keynote speaker Paul J. Singh, noted investor and entrepreneur. It takes place from 4:00-6:30 pm at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Rochester, NY.
Related: Creating an accelerator for optics, photonics, and imaging, an interview with Luminate Board Chair Don Golini
Related: Would $1,000,000 from Luminate help your startup? Apply now
Luminate, which is being administered by High Tech Rochester, is a $10 million program is being funded by Governor Cuomo and the State of New York through the Finger Lakes Forward Upstate Revitalization Initiative award. The Luminate Lightning Round is part of Rochester Innovation Week, presented by High Tech Rochester.
To register to attend the Lightning Round, click here: https://goo.gl/iHwXo6
Conard Holton | Editor at Large
Conard Holton has 25 years of science and technology editing and writing experience. He was formerly a staff member and consultant for government agencies such as the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the International Atomic Energy Agency, and engineering companies such as Bechtel. He joined Laser Focus World in 1997 as senior editor, becoming editor in chief of WDM Solutions, which he founded in 1999. In 2003 he joined Vision Systems Design as editor in chief, while continuing as contributing editor at Laser Focus World. Conard became editor in chief of Laser Focus World in August 2011, a role in which he served through August 2018. He then served as Editor at Large for Laser Focus World and Co-Chair of the Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar from August 2018 through January 2022. He received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, with additional studies at the Colorado School of Mines and Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.