A coalition of New Jersey universities seeking to advance the photonics industry has moved on to the semifinals in the National Science Foundation (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines competition.
The NSF, with an initiative to advance critical technologies and grow regional economies in the United States, announced 29 semifinalists in all for the competition. Among the semifinalists are Princeton-based Advancing Photonics Technologies (APT), a collaboration of universities, community colleges, industry, government agencies, technology accelerators and other entities developing, investing in and commercializing photonics and optics technologies.
That branch of science includes lasers, optical fibers and sensors, optically integrated hardware, advanced materials and other cutting-edge light-based innovations used in communications, national security, medical devices, energy technology, advanced manufacturing and other applications.
“We’re pleased that APT has advanced in the NSF Engine competition,” said Craig B. Arnold, Princeton’s vice dean for innovation and APT’s principal investigator. “We’ve already seen the positive impact that APT is having in our region. It has helped forge new connections and networks among our higher education partners, companies, investors and government agencies, all working together to boost the photonics industry in our three-state area.”
Rutgers University and Nokia Bell Labs are part of the core team overseeing APT, which held its first annual SPOTLIGHT Photonics Innovation Ecosystem Summit on the Princeton campus in May. Nearly 200 ecosystem leaders involved in photonics and optics research, investors, innovators and others attended.
After conducting a round of live, virtual assessments of the semifinalist teams, NSF will choose a group of finalists, with a goal of handing out the Engine awards in early 2026.
“This outstanding cohort of semifinalists clearly demonstrates that America’s technology competitiveness will depend as much on expanding our ability to unlock innovation capacity in every part of our country – from the rural plains and western ranges to cities with rich industrial and manufacturing legacies – as it will on advancing the technologies themselves,” Erwin Gianchandani, NSF assistant director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP), said in the announcement.
“Each team was selected because it brought strong public and private partners to the table and outlined a promising vision for research, innovation and workforce development in their respective regions of service, thereby advancing U.S competitiveness, national security and economic growth.”
This year marks the second NSF Engines competition. To date, NSF said the program has seen “a tenfold return on taxpayers’ dollars – an initial investment of $135 million across nine NSF Engines has garnered more than $1 billion in matching commitments from private industry, philanthropy and state and local governments.”
APT is administered by Director Christine Galib and supported by other staff in Princeton’s Office of Innovation. Within the Office of Innovation, APT works closely with the NSF’s I-Corps Northeast region hub, which will host a series of sessions on photonics development as part of its Propelus program in September and October.
Besides Princeton, Rowan and Rutgers, 11 other colleges and universities are in the program’s academic network. The 30 industry and startup companies involved include regionally based Edmund Optics, Thorlabs, Nokia Bell Labs, DuPont and Teledyne.
Economic development and regional engagement organizations include Choose New Jersey, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, PhotonicsNJ, Delaware Prosperity Partnership, Delaware Works, and Lehigh Valley Economic Development. Nearly two dozen capital and innovation partners are involved as well.
