Zeiss opens new Bay Area innovation center

06 Apr 2021

Located in California entrepreneurial region; new site houses research labs and demo facilities.

Optics and optoelectronics technology giant Zeiss has completed its new R&D, production, sales and customer service site in the San Francisco Bay Area. Bringing together hundreds of Zeiss employees and key functions under one roof, this represents a major milestone in the company’s international innovation and growth strategy, Zeiss stated.

“The new innovation center harnesses our technological, research and customer services strengths in one of the world’s leading technology innovation locations,” commented Dr. Christian Müller, Chief Financial Officer of Zeiss Group.

“This long-term commitment to the Bay Area and the North American market, supports the development of exciting innovations to benefit our global customers, alongside new collaboration opportunities with our partners across academia, industry and local communities,” he added.

The $180 million investment in the new high-tech site in Dublin, a fast-growing city close to San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose, is an integral part of the Zeiss global strategy to expand its presence near research centers and growth markets.

The center’s planned R&D efforts will increasingly focus on digital solutions and scientific and industry partnerships spanning disciplines and technologies – which Zeiss believes are key drivers behind the decision to locate the Center here.

Entrepreneurial ecosystem

The Innovation Center houses customer experience and demonstration centers showcasing recent Zeiss innovations, as well as research laboratories, service and production facilities. With engineers, researchers, and sales and service teams from across the firm located on the same premises, global customers and partners will have access to the company’s expertise.

The center also serves as the US headquarters for the Zeiss medical technology business, bundled under the Frankfurt-listed company Carl Zeiss Meditec, which develops solutions for ophthalmology and microsurgery worldwide.

The new site brings together the X-Ray Microscopy business and the Zeiss Microscopy Customer Center, strengthening initiatives to realize growing market and R&D opportunities in materials research, life sciences and industrial applications.

The co-location of the microscopy and ophthalmology businesses offers additional collaborative opportunities, particularly in image processing, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Process Control Solutions activities for Zeiss Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology segment is also based at the new location.