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Photonics PhD Days 2025

Co-organised by Photonics Bretagne, Anticipa, ENSSAT, and Foton Institute, the Photonics PhD Days are a unique 3-day, English-speaking event. It aims to bring together French and foreign PhD students, research centres and companies in the field of photonics, to discuss entrepreneurship and careers. The programme is centred around our signature “PhD to Start-Up” workshop, and includes conferences, PhD pitches, posters, one-to-one meetings with company directors, networking, and visits to local companies and research centres.

Are you a doctoral student?

Come and present your thesis, find out about the latest scientific research in photonics, and take part in the workshop to reveal your entrepreneurial potential (more than eight hours over two days)! All in a friendly atmosphere overlooking the sea (Perros-Guirec, Brittany). Don’t miss this event! Register now!

Meetings

24-26 September 2025

Past

Lannion (22)

You are a PhD student in photonics:

This event is for you! Come and pitch your PhD, then unlock your entrepreneurial potential with a case study.

Take part in a “PhD to Startup” Workshop (8 hours over 2 days), which will count towards your Doctoral School training (France).
Pitch your PhD in 3 minutes with a presentation or a poster (depending on your year).
Discuss entrepreneurship and careers in 1-to-1 appointments with CEOs.
Attend conferences about support and funding schemes for startups, as well as a success story of a CEO who will share their experience.
Visit local companies and research facilities.
Meet other PhD students, researchers and industry leaders during informal networking sessions and expand your European network.

You are not a PhD student:

You can sponsor the event! Come and discover the latest scientific research in the field of photonics and meet your potential next partners or engineers.

Get up to date with the latest scientific research in photonics.
Meet young talents in photonics research and engineering.
Share your own vision of the photonics industry.
Pitch your expertise and your company.
Discover the local photonics expertise by meeting and visiting companies and labs.
Gain visibility.

>>> Click on the ‘Sponsorship’ tab to find out how to support the event and the different levels of sponsorship.

Wednesday 24th September

9h00-9h15	Welcome & Coffee
9h15-9h20	Presentation of the event / programme
9h20-9h30	Introduction of the local photonics ecosystem \| Photonics Bretagne
9h30-9h40	Presentation of the support from the Technopole \| Anticipa
9h40-10h40	PhD Pitches
10h40-11h20	Poster session & Coffee break
11h20-12h20	Visit of Foton Institute
12h20-13h45	Luncheon cocktail and networking
13h45-14h00	Transfer to the “Centre Hédraou”
14h00-18h30	“PhD to Startup” workshop (1/2)
19h00	Dinner in the restaurant / refectory (Centre Hédraou)
After Dinner	Free evening – workshop room available to continue working on your startup project.

Thursday 25th September

9h00-12h35	Visits of local companies and research facilities
12h35-14h30	“Galettes Party” (Lunch) and free time – Enjoy the nearby beach
14h30-18h30	“PhD to Startup” workshop (2/2)
19h00	Dinner in the restaurant / refectory (Centre Hédraou)
After Dinner	Free evening – Wrap-up your startup project and prepare your pitch.

Friday 26th September

9h30-10h30	Startup project pitches
10h30-10h50	Sponsors pitches / Jury deliberation
10h50-11h20	CEO success story
11h20-11h50	Project feedback and best startup award
11h50-13h10	One-to-One meetups with CEOs
13h00-14h30	Luncheon cocktail and networking

Your challenge: Transition from a thesis to a start-up in 8 hours over 2 days, in a friendly environment and idyllic surroundings facing the sea.

Working in small groups, you will use one of the thesis topics pitched earlier in the event to create a fictitious start-up. The workshop will be partially supervised to give you the key elements. You will also have two free evenings to work with your group at your own pace, should you wish to do so. On the last day, you will pitch your startup project to a jury. The best start-up will be awarded!
/br> In France, this workshop time can count towards your Doctoral School training.

Reserved to PhD students participating to the workshop.

Photonics Bretagne & partners are happy to provide all the logistics free of charge from September 24th to 26th:

Accommodation for up to 3 nights (September 23rd, 24th, 25th),
All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner),
All transfers on site, if you need it.

You will be staying in the workshop venue: the Centre Hédraou is located in Perros-Guirec, near Lannion (Brittany / France), facing the sea and with a direct access to the beach. Free time is planned, so that you can fully enjoy the place and the idyllic environment.

Brittany has established itself as a global centre for innovation in photonics thanks to its innovative SMEs and the excellence of its research centres and higher education institutions.

Like the American Science Parks, Brittany has its own Photonics Park in Lannion. It comprises a corporate centre, a technology platform and a start-up incubator, and covers the entire photonics ecosystem in Lannion. The local photonics sector employs close to 1,000 people in around 30 SMEs and institutions. It also benefits from many cutting-edge facilities allowing for great innovation capabilities.

The Photonics PhD Days offer a unique opportunity to visit a selection of local companies and research centres with a photonics expertise.

SPARKLE

An initial offer to easily associate your brand with the event.

Your logo on our digital media: emailing and website
Your logo on our print media during the event: sponsors’ kakemono on stage and booklet distributed to all participants
Highlighting of sponsors during the introduction to the event
One to One with CEOs: be one of the CEOs to meet the young doctoral students for a one-to-one interview

For members: 300€ HT
For non-members: 400€ HT

BOOST

A focused presence for stronger visibility and engagement.

All the benefits of the “Sparkle” offer.
1/2 A5 page description + logo + contact in the booklet.
Your presence in the event booklet: 1/2 A5 page description + logo + contact
Announcement of sponsors on social networks: mention of your entity in our Linkedin posts
1 place to attend the start-up project pitches by young doctoral students
Pitch sponsor: present your entity, technologies and activities

For members: 600€ HT
For non-members: 800€ HT

SHINE

A maximum exposure and strategic opportunities.

All the benefits of the “Boost” offer.
1 A5 page for your advertisement in the booklet.
Highlight your company on a Linkedin post dedicated solely to your sponsorship.
Access to company visits and research centres.

For members: 900€ HT
For non-members: 1200€ HT

>>> To become a sponsor, register and select your sponsorship offer on the 2nd page of the form. More information: cluster@photonics-bretagne.com

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Agenda

Photonics PhD Days 2025

Are you a doctoral student?

You are a PhD student in photonics:

You are not a PhD student:

Wednesday 24th September

Thursday 25th September

Friday 26th September

SPARKLE

BOOST

SHINE

Other Events

Workshop Development of Projects: Photonics and Plants

Meetup Mobility & Photonics

General Meeting of Photonics Bretagne

Workshop Development of Projects: Photonics and Plants

Meetup Mobility & Photonics

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