Applications now open for 2024 SPIE Prism Awards

03 Aug 2023

Presentation event – including new Catalyst Award – to be held 31 January at Photonics West 2024.

Applications are now open for the 2024 SPIE Prism Awards, an event which will celebrate its 16th anniversary on 31 January, during a gala evening at SPIE Photonics West. The awards, held annually by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, recognize and honor the most innovative products on the market across the wide range of optics and photonics applications.

For 2024, in addition to the regular slate of awards in areas ranging from healthcare and sensing, to lasers and quantum, SPIE is introducing the SPIE Catalyst Award. This new recognition honors for-profit companies with specific social or environmentally focused programs that have had significant positive impact, either within their workplace, on society at large, or on the environment.

“The SPIE Prism Awards always offer an exciting showcase of the most innovative photonics technologies on the market,” said SPIE CEO Kent Rochford. “Getting a product to market is the culmination of a significant amount of work, and well worth celebrating.

Introducing: the new Catalyst Award

“I encourage all companies with a new photonic product to submit an application highlighting your team's accomplishments. And this year, I’m also looking forward to introducing our new Catalyst Award, a recognition that honors companies working to make a difference in their communities beyond their products, through targeted outreach and programs aimed at sustainability, EDI, or STEM,” Rochford added.

Last year’s Prism Award winners — across categories that encompassed areas such as AR/VR/MR, lasers, imaging, biomedicine, sensors, and quantum technologies — were TriLite Technologies, Philophos, Metalenz, Kyocera SLD Laser, QuiX Quantum, Ocean Insight, Dotphoton, and Precitec Optronik.

Winners from previous years have included newly emerging companies or startups such as Double Helix Optics, PhotoniCare, Luminar, Blackmore, and WaveOptics, as well as more established industry giants like General Electric, IPG Photonics, Edmund Optics, and Leica. Photonics Media is the media sponsor for the event.

The deadline for applications is 15 September. For more information, qualification requirements, and to participate in the Prism Awards, please visit the Prism Award website.