A Poland-based photonics company plans to establish a Rochester-area manufacturing and service operation after winning the $1 million top award in the ninth round of the Luminate NY startup competition.
Gekko Photonics was named company of the year at the Rochester finals, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul's announcement. The state-backed award is a follow-on investment intended to help the company build a Finger Lakes operation for manufacturing, installation, integration and support of its photonic systems.
The company, based in Wroclaw, Poland, makes inline Raman analyzers that continuously monitor chemical processes instead of waiting for laboratory test results. It says the equipment combines optical hardware with software to help manufacturers control production, limit waste and maintain consistent quality in chemical, pharmaceutical, food and other industries.
Chief Executive Robert Stachurski said the investment would support local engineering and customer-service hires, work with regional suppliers and faster production for U.S. customers. The announcement did not specify a local site, hiring target or opening date.
Other startups receive follow-on funding
The ninth-round awards totaled more than $2 million. Connecticut-based AB Photonics received $400,000 for work on compact pulsed lasers that could be incorporated into commercial products. Brightlight Photonics of Massachusetts and Hypervision of Israel each received $250,000. Brightlight is developing chip-scale titanium-sapphire lasers for quantum technology, while Hypervision is building wide-field visual systems for head-mounted displays and remote operation.
Rochester company Phlotonics received $100,000 for a platform that measures molecular markers during manufacturing to identify cell stress earlier. San Diego-based Ciconia Medical won a $10,000 audience-choice award for development of an artificial intelligence-based device for vaginal examinations.
Luminate NY's six-month accelerator is administered by NextCorps. Industry executives and venture-capital judges selected the winners after reviewing pitches and conducting due diligence. The finals were held in Rochester during the Frontiers in Optics and Laser Science conference and streamed online.
The state said every company receiving follow-on funding must establish a Finger Lakes operational presence for at least 18 months. That requirement is significant for startups based outside the region: the awards are investments tied to local activity, not simply recognition for products developed elsewhere.
The state said Luminate has invested $26 million in 96 startups since its launch. Its portfolio now includes more than 90 companies with a combined estimated market value above $750 million, according to the announcement. The state also reported more than 205 jobs created in New York, over $22 million spent on more than 140 projects with regional suppliers and 22 international startups that have moved operations to the state. Those figures were provided by the program; the announcement did not break out the jobs and spending attributable to this year's winners.
Next competition opens through January
Applications for the 10th Luminate round are open through Jan. 11, 2027. The state said the next round is supported by a $4 million working-capital grant and an additional $1 million secured by state Sen. Samra Brouk. Accepted companies enter a six-month hybrid accelerator and compete for a share of $2 million in follow-on funding. The release refers to upfront support for each startup but contains an incomplete parenthetical description of that amount; applicants should verify the current terms directly with Luminate.
The new round expands support for laser-focused startups through the National Science Foundation's STELLAR Engine, an initiative led by the University of Rochester and involving more than 90 organizations. The state described $15 million in federal support matched by $16 million from New York. It is seeking applicants in fields including quantum systems, semiconductor measurement, biomedical devices, navigation, optics and robotics.
The Finger Lakes has a network of optics and photonics institutions that the program expects startups to use, including AIM Photonics facilities, the University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology and Monroe Community College. State officials said more than 150 companies in the field employ more than 19,000 people in the region. Applicants can find details through Luminate NY.
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