The global photonics market is projected to exceed £1tn by 2030. While the UK’s 3.5% share might appear modest, that is still an £8.6bn sector employing more than 84,000 people across 1,400 companies.
The Council for Science and Technology has recently warned however, that the UK is losing its window to lead.
Industry experts have forecast that the UK has a three-to-five-year period to act before faster-moving international competitors forge ahead.
TechUK’s report this week on the UK’s photonics ecosystem underscores this pivotal moment to respond – namely, the UK has the science, clusters and talent, but lacks the industrial coordination to convert this into global leadership.
To secure this future, the UK must move from research and development excellence to deployment....
