The modern operating environment for photonics companies, Photonics Center, provides companies with the equipment, talent and networks. Local top expertise in the forest bioeconomy sector, extensive business activities, ICT expertise and the metal and plastic company clusters also offer opportunities for new innovative applications. In addition, the Flagship on Photonics Research and Innovation (PREIN), managed by the Academy of Finland, and the talent cluster of Photonics Finland have a major role in the field of photonics in Joensuu.
Research and top expertise for more than 50 years
Photonics research has a very long tradition in Joensuu, as research has been carried out there for over 50 years. We offer companies world-leading expertise from the design of plastic optics and 3D printed optics to the manufacture of the final product.
Companies and educational institutions engage in close collaboration with each other. More than 20 people with master’s degree and nearly 10 people with doctor’s degree graduate from the Photonics programmes every year. The number of new students in 2023 will increase significantly due to the introduction of Erasmus Mundus programme.
Photonics companies operating internationally in the region include:
- Developer of AR display technology Dispelix Oy
- Developer of glass cutting and finishing techniques Hypermemo Oy
- Optical film manufacturer Nanocomp Oy
- Developer of eye-tracking solutions SeeTrue Technologies Oy
The following universities and vocational schools are the main providers of photonics education and training:
- Diffractive optics and displays
- XR, AR, VR and MR applications and optics
- Spectral light research
- The only educational institute in Finland offering training in optics design!
Karelia University of Applied Sciences
- Precision technology
The education offering in Joensuu and UEF’s research in photonics, in particular, create trust in the availability of talented workforce. The subcontracting networks in the area are also an important factor for relocating our company in Joensuu. In addition, Business Joensuu has helped us find premises and funding.
– Vadim Kiyko, Hypermemo Oy
The greatest motivator for establishing an office in Joensuu was the availability of skilled photonics workforce. Cooperation with local educational institutions has played an important role in the development of staff competence and product development. We believe that companies, educational institutions and Business Joensuu are accelerating the regional development of photonics to achieve a common goal. The business activity in photonics in the Joensuu region has increased considerably over the past few years, and we believe that growth will continue.– Petri Stenberg Dispelix Oy, VP of Manufacturing & Joensuu site Manager
Unique Photonics Center offers comprehensive photonics services for businesses
Photonics Center is a unique operating environment for photonics companies. Photonics Center supports photonics companies in business development, capital acquisition and networking. The solutions offered by the Center help companies reduce the time spend for R&D and get products on the market faster.
Photonics Center offers companies, for example:
- Versatile facilities for the needs of a growing company’s research, development and innovation activities
- Modern shared equipment and measurement and processing services
- International cooperation with educational institutions and the future top talents
- A tight photonics community, wide-reaching networks and co-marketing
- Business Joensuu services for accelerating growth and development of the company and facilitate the company’s relocation to the Joensuu region
Photonics companies are supported to accelerate innovations both in Finland and abroad as well as find new partners and experts to boost growth. Start-up companies can utilize comprehensive expert and accelerator services. Companies that relocate in the area also have their own service portal to ensure easy and fast relocation.
Through its activities, the Photonics Center increases cooperation between companies and educational organisations and trains top experts that meet the needs of the companies. The Center offers an opportunity to use shared equipment and measurement and processing services. Companies also have access to the optics research and manufacturing environment of the Institute of Photonics at the University of Eastern Finland, which includes the manufacturing of micro- and nanostructures, e-beam and characterisation. The state-of-the-art precision technology equipment of the Karelia University of Applied Sciences is also available to companies.
