A technology investment forum arranged in partnership with the Photonics Cluster (UK) will be one of the highlights of the new and improved Photonex 2008 when it is held Oct. 15 and 16 at Stoneleigh Exhibition Halls in Coventry. Photonex, the UK's premier photonics event, offers an unparalleled environment in which to find out about optoelectronics, photonics, optronics and optical technologies from leading manufacturers, distributors, system integrators and universities. Key highlights of this year's two-day event include diode laser advances, the latest optical sensing technology, and a seminar on the application of laser technology in medicine and biophotonics. The new Technology Investment Forum will feature an Innovation and Investment Seminar presented by the Photonics Cluster (UK), and should be of interest to all members of the science, engineering and photonics communities, particularly investors, innovators, businesses, and research and technology organizations. Speakers will range from investors to IP specialists and technologists and is expected to include: Douglas Dundonald, Anglo Scientific; Ron Peterson, Longbow; Alastair Wilson, Photonics KTN (Knowledge Transfer Network); Richard Atkinson, Venture Catalyst; Mark Yeadon, Harrison Goddard Foote; John Danvers, PERA (a UK-based international network of technology development and industry support centers); and Richard Hanson, Advantage West Midlands (AWM). Keynote speaker at the forum's opening night dinner will be technology and investments specialist Doug Richard, business entrepreneur and star of the TV show Dragon's Den. Richard founded technology companies ITAL Computers and Visual Software and was president and CEO of Micrografx. "We are hugely excited to have Doug with us at this year's new and improved Photonex. Our aim is to keep ahead of the game with the introduction of the Technology Innovation Forum, giving the industry forerunners a new and unique arena to present their developments. Richard's presence will only add to a truly energized atmosphere at the event," said exhibition director Laurence Devereux of show organizer Xmark Media. The forum will also feature international companies and representatives from a dozen universities in its innovation and demonstration area. Photonex 2008 will also include themed product areas, three parallel technical seminar programs and many networking opportunities for the expected 1500 attendees. For the more than 135 exhibiting companies attending, Photonex is known as the place to showcase new products and services, network and exchange ideas with peers. Photonex 2008's seminar program will include a daylong meeting on high-power diode lasers and systems and their application in areas such as defense, cutting and welding and the life sciences, presented by the Scottish Chapter of IEEE/LEOS (IEEE Lasers & Electro-Optics Society). Because diode lasers lie at the heart of most optoelectronic systems today, the seminar will highlight recent advances in diode-pumped solid-state lasers covering topics from the advanced and novel laser pump diodes to the applications of solid-state laser systems. The meeting will serve as a flagship for presenting outstanding work in industry and universities. Expected to speak during the seminar are: Mike Mason, Powerlase; Detlev Wolf, Jenoptik; Richard Penty, University of Cambridge; and Stewart McDougall, Intense. Presenting the program "Solving Sensing Problems with Photonics" will be experts from the Sensors & Instrumentation KTN, which is participating in Photonex for the first time. The workshop will include presentations on optical techniques that have been used to solve a range of environmental, industrial, security and medical diagnostic sensing problems. Attendees are encouraged to bring details of their sensing problems to the workshop for Sensors KTN experts to solve. For the first time during their Photonex program, UKIVA (UK Industrial Vision Association) members will include high-speed imaging in their Aspects of Imaging series, which is divided into four sessions over two days. Program topics will include a wide range of imaging speeds, from relatively low speed biological imaging to the higher speed needs of industry for process monitoring, crash testing, aerospace and ballistics, including measurement of 200 million images per second. An all-day session on industrial innovation with lasers in the medical sector is promoted as a Photonics KTN event organized by the Association of Laser Users (AILU) Medical Group. The meeting will highlight developments in the application of laser technology to the burgeoning medical and biophotonics fields, including developments in laser sources, beam delivery, monitoring and control, auxiliary equipment, safety and standards. Enlighten is organizing the seminar series "Vacuum Systems, Optical Thin Films and High Performance Optics," which will examine the latest developments in vacuum deposition systems, with highlights including presentations by senior development scientists from Leyhold Optics and Evatec. Exhibitor presentations, with sessions on ultrafast lasers, laser safety, spectroscopy and optomechanics, will also be organized by Enlighten. For more information, visit: www.photonex.org/index.php or our sponsorship page.