The Photonics Challenge, an annual competition sponsored by the Graduate University School for the Creation of New Photonics Industries, has concluded with the selection of four out of nine finalist companies from Japan to win its top prizes based upon their proposed business plans. Laser manufacturer HOLODESIGN Inc. won the Best Business Award which came with a prize of ¥1 million ($6,754), while Hamamatsu Pulse Co. Ltd., Pi Photonics, Inc., and eZov International were awarded the Grand Prize for Best Challenge, Shizuoka SME Excellence Award, and Observer Award, respectively. The Photonics Challenge judging committee selected HOLODESIGN Inc. as its Best Business Award recipient. Courtesy of Central Japan Startup Ecosystem Consortium. DEER PARK, N.Y. — Luxium Solutions, LLC, a provider of crystals used in photonics and radiation detection applications, has entered into an agreement to acquire monolithic optics company PLX Inc. and its subsidiary PLX UK, Ltd from an investor group led by Tinicum. The acquisition broadens Luxium's portfolio by adding photonics assembly solutions, sub-system and system integration capabilities, including solutions for emerging LIDAR, laser tracking and free space optics applications. Part of the Microdisplays & Sensors unit business portfolio includes OLED and µLED displays. Courtesy of Faunhofer IPMS. DRESDEN, Germany — The Microdisplays and Sensors business unit at the Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron Beam and Plasma Technology FEP will be integrated into the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS with retroactive effect from Jan.1, 2024. The institutes are closely connected and share infrastructure at Fraunhofer's Dresden site, enabling greater collaboration. Fraunhofer IPMS intends to increase its activities in microdisplays and sensors, including integration of chiplet technologies with CMOS microelectronics, and integration of organic semiconductors such as OLEDs and novel emitter technologies such as microLEDs. ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Coretec Group, a developer of silicon anode active materials, has entered into a definitive exchange agreement with compact camera module company Core Optics, LLC in which Coretec is expected to acquire 100% of the membership interests of Core Optics and its subsidiaries. The combined company will continue to operate under the name The Coretec Group, Inc. and Seonkee Kim will assume the title and responsibilities of CEO. An artist’s representation of Thermo Fisher’s Jakarta facility. Courtesy of Thermo Fisher Scientific. JAKARTA, Indonesia — Thermo Fisher Scientific is opening a new office in Indonesia. Located in Jakarta, the facility’s inauguration is scheduled for April and is part of a plan to enhance customer proximity and deepen relationships with Thermo Fisher’s Indonesian stakeholders. Thermo Fisher has appointed Devi Darmadi as the country general manager. Darmadi will spearhead strategic initiatives and go-to-market evolution, geared toward expanding the company's footprint in Indonesia. Leader of the Center for Nanoscale Imaging Sciences and assistant professor of chemistry Anna-Karin Gustavsson. Courtesy of Jeff Fitlow/Rice University. HOUSTON — The Wiess School of Natural Sciences at Rice University has opened the Center for Nanoscale Imaging Sciences to develop the capture, analysis, and interpretation of images at the nanometer scale. The center will stimulate, enable, and incentivize the integration and correlation of diverse approaches and collaborative efforts across different fields and address challenges including big data, smart microscopes, and multi-modal approaches. Rice faculty will also work with researchers at the Texas Medical Center to enable developments in biology and biomedicine.