Photonics Finland visits EPIC

As part of its ongoing strategy to collaborate with international partners, the EPIC centre recently hosted a delegation from Photonics Finland.

The event saw Juha Purmonen, Leena Lehikoinen and Pauliina Pikkujamsa make the 4500 round-trip from Joensuu in Eastern Finland to visit EPIC and learn more about Torbay’s Hi-Tech Cluster.

EPIC Centre Director, Wayne Loschi, who has previously supported Photonics Finland in an advisory role with their Photonics Center, was delighted to welcome the delegation “We’re exceptionally proud of EPIC and the businesses that operate within it. It’s fantastic to have the opportunity to show international visitors around the building and introduce them to our tenants”.

During the visit, Photonics Finland presented information about some of the 200 photonics companies that form part of the Finnish cluster. These include companies such as Microsoft, Coherent and Rockley Photonics.

After a tour of the EPIC facility and networking lunch, Photonics Finland met EPIC tenants QLM, Bay Photonics and Davies & Bell. The Torbay Hi-Tech Cluster group was represented by Chair Dr. Andrew Robertson and Vice-Chair Dr. Philip Mitchell. Both provided an overview on the abundance of technical expertise and activity that is present both inside EPIC and the wider Torbay area.

Following the meetings there was agreement to explore future collaboration opportunities between EPIC and the Photonics Center in addition to its respective clusters. Ideas include making relevant introductions to each other’s businesses, sharing market intel and potentially organising joint networking events at upcoming tradeshows. It is expected that a formal Memorandum of Understanding will be signed in the upcoming weeks to formalise ways in which a mutually beneficial collaboration could work.

In recent months, EPIC has welcomed visitors from Technology Scotland, the iAero Centre in Somerset and co-hosted an international conference with South Devon College. Plans are also in place to welcome a delegation from Photonics Germany in May 2023.

To find out more about EPIC please email Centre Director, Wayne Loschi ([email protected]) or visit www.epic-centre.co.uk