LASER World of PHOTONICS (LASER Munich), the leading international trade fair for photonics components, systems, and applications, returns to Germany between June 27 and 30 for the industry event’s 50th anniversary. As of press time, over 1200 companies were registered to exhibit at Messe Munich during this year’s event — well on the way to hosting a showing that is comparable to the 2022 edition, which hosted 1300 exhibitors, including 15,000 attendees from more than 70 countries. (See contributing editor Andreas Thoss’ interview with Anke Odouli, LASER Munich’s exhibition director, and Wilhelm Kaenders, chairman of the event’s Exhibitor Board, in Industry Insight.) The World of Photonics Congress — the largest photonics technical conference in Europe — also returns to Messe Munich this year between June 25 and 30. The 2023 congress comprises five individual conferences, including CLEO/Europe-EQEC, which addresses all facets of optical technologies and photonics in basic research, and four conferences focusing on applied science; this includes Lasers in Manufacturing, Digital Optical Technologies, Optical Metrology, and European Conferences on Biomedical Optics. LASER World of PHOTONICS, the largest photonics industry trade show, continues to evolve with new events focused on quantum technology. It is also co-located with Automatica for the first time this year. Courtesy of LASER World of PHOTONICS. World of QUANTUM, which debuted successfully last year, will also return to Munich between June 27 and 30. This year, it will feature an even more diverse program, including a hackathon, a specialist conference, and a session of practical talks and discussions aimed at allowing attendees to openly exchange expertise, and network with other quantum research pioneers and industrial application trailblazers. Whether on the show floor or conference hall, LASER Munich 2023 will comprehensively cover the technologies that are shaping applications and end markets, such as electric mobility, autonomous driving, modern medical diagnostics, life sciences, and data and telecommunication networks. There will also be formats for discussion around industry concerns, such as supply chain stability, the photonics workforce, and other business issues. Despite its challenges, the photonics industry continues its upward trend. According to the industry association Spectaris, Germany’s photonics industry alone is on track to see an annual growth rate of around 6.5% by 2025. In its 50th year, LASER World of PHOTONICS returns to Messe Munich this June to highlight the latest advancements in photonic technology and end markets. Courtesy of LASER World of PHOTONICS. After 50 years, LASER Munich continues to evolve, expand, and stay highly relevant. The event will be held for the first time in conjunction with Automatica 2023, the leading exhibition for smart automation and robotics. Automatica’s exhibit and conference components are geared to provide answers on assembly and handling applications, industrial and service robotics, new sensor technologies, machine vision, software and cloud computing for industrial settings, positioning systems, and drive technology. Highlighted topics for this year’s event are digitalization and artificial intelligence, sustainable production, and the future of work. In 2023, LASER World of PHOTONICS, World of QUANTUM, the World of Photonics Congress, and Automatica are keeping the doors open for the interested, invested, and enthusiastic in the world of photonics.