Colorado has a strong photonics industry cluster that is keeping Colorado companies at the forefront of new advances in photonics and optoelectronics.  There are more than 260 photonics-related organizations in Colorado, including private enterprise, university research and federally funded laboratories, which together provide more than 37,000 jobs.  More than 200 of those organizations are directly engaged in the production of photonics or services, with more than 65% of those engaged in photonics manufacturing. 

Colorado's photonics industry develops cutting edge applications and products that enhance a variety of industries, including medicine, defense, biotechnology, nanotechnology, manufacturing, remote sensing, communications, transportation and space exploration.

• Colorado is ranked 5^th in the nation for photonics manufacturing.
• Colorado's largest universities all have photonics programs, including:
  • University of Colorado
  • University of Denver
  • Colorado State University
  • Colorado School of Mines
  • U.S. Air Force Academy.
• A number of federal research facilities in Colorado are actively engaged in advanced photonics research, including:
  • National Institute of Standards and Technology
  • National Renewable Energy Laboratory
  • National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency
  • National Center for Atmospheric Research
• A cornerstone of Colorado's photonics industry is the Colorado Advanced Photonics Technology Center, a nonprofit organization providing research support, expertise and equipment for Colorado companies and assisting with the commercialization of photonics technologies.