Gekko Photonics Takes Top Prize at Luminate NY as Five Deep-Tech Startups Secure Funding

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Five deep-tech startups developing technologies across photonics, lasers, advanced imaging and medical devices have secured more than $2 million in investments through the ninth round of Luminate NY.

Gekko Photonics, a startup based in Wroclaw, Poland, took home the program’s top award, receiving a $1 million investment and the title of Luminate NY’s Company of the Year.

The company now plans to establish operations in the Rochester region, where it expects to manufacture its photonic systems and build a team supporting installation, integration and service for industrial customers.

For Rochester, that means another international photonics company could soon be putting down roots in a region that has spent decades building its optics and imaging ecosystem.

From Poland to Rochester

Gekko Photonics develops technology that allows manufacturers to continuously monitor the chemical composition of materials during production.

Its Spectrally platform combines photonic hardware with AI-driven chemical analysis, giving manufacturers information about their processes in real time rather than requiring them to collect samples and wait for laboratory testing.

The technology is designed for industries including pharmaceuticals, chemicals and food production, where faster information can help companies improve quality, reduce waste and identify production problems earlier.

“Rochester’s photonics expertise makes it a natural place for our company to grow,” Gekko Photonics CEO Robert Stachurski said.

Stachurski said the investment will allow the company to hire engineering and customer support employees locally, work with regional suppliers and move more quickly toward production and deployment for U.S. customers.

Five Startups Take Home Funding

Gekko was one of five companies receiving awards following the six-month Luminate program.

AB Photonics, based in Guilford, Connecticut, received the $400,000 Outstanding Graduate Award. The company is developing a scalable, lower-cost platform designed to allow manufacturers and researchers to integrate handheld, mode-locked pulsed lasers into commercial products.

Brightlight Photonics, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, received a $250,000 Distinguished Graduate Award. The company is working to shrink titanium-sapphire lasers from traditional tabletop systems to chip-sized sources for applications including quantum technology.

Hypervision, based in Yokneam Illit, Israel, also received a $250,000 Distinguished Graduate Award. The company is developing ultra-wide-field visual systems designed to improve scale, depth and peripheral awareness in head-mounted displays and remote-operator systems.

Rochester-based Phlotonics received a $100,000 Honorable Achievement Award for its BioproSense platform. The technology allows manufacturers to continuously measure multiple molecular markers from a single sample, helping identify cell stress earlier, protect production yield and make faster decisions during manufacturing.

Ciconia Medical, based in San Diego, received the $10,000 Audience Choice Award. The company is developing an AI-based medical device designed to improve vaginal exams during childbirth.

Building Companies Around Rochester's Photonics Infrastructure

The investments are about more than the competition itself.

Companies receiving follow-on funding through Luminate are required to establish operations in the Finger Lakes region for at least 18 months.

That structure brings startups from around the world into Rochester's existing optics and photonics network, connecting young companies with engineers, researchers, manufacturers, suppliers and potential customers.

Since launching, Luminate NY has invested $26 million in 96 startups. Portfolio companies have created more than 205 jobs in New York and invested more than $22 million across more than 140 projects with regional design, optics fabrication and manufacturing vendors.

Twenty-two international startups have also relocated operations to New York through the program.

Luminate's global portfolio now includes more than 90 companies with a combined market value exceeding $750 million.

The accelerator is administered by Rochester-based NextCorps and focuses on emerging companies developing technologies enabled by optics, photonics, imaging and lasers.

That focus places the program directly within one of Rochester's most established technology sectors.

The region is home to more than 150 optics, photonics, imaging and laser companies employing more than 19,000 industry professionals.

Those companies operate alongside a network of research, education and manufacturing resources that includes the University of Rochester's Institute of Optics and Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Rochester Institute of Technology, Monroe Community College's Optical Systems Technology program and the AIM Photonics Test, Assembly and Packaging facility.

Luminate Opens Applications for Its Next Cohort

As one group of companies finishes the program, Luminate is already recruiting the next.

Applications for Luminate NY's 10th cohort are open through Jan. 11, 2027.

Startups accepted into the six-month hybrid accelerator receive $50,000 upfront, with a portion committed to working with resources in the Rochester region. Companies then compete for a share of $2 million in additional investment at the Luminate Finals.

The next cohort will also expand Luminate's focus on laser technology.

Laser startups will have access to additional resources through the newly launched NSF STELLAR Engine, a University of Rochester-led initiative bringing together more than 90 organizations around laser science, manufacturing and workforce development.

The initiative is backed by $15 million in federal funding and $16 million in matching state funding.

Luminate is seeking companies working in areas including quantum systems, semiconductor metrology, biomedical devices, autonomous navigation, advanced optics and robotics.

Learn More About Luminate NY

For a closer look at how the accelerator works and the companies it supports, watch this video about Luminate NY.

For Rochester, the Luminate model creates a pipeline that goes beyond identifying promising technology.

It gives emerging deep-tech companies from across the U.S. and around the world a reason to build relationships, hire people, manufacture products and establish operations in the region turning an accelerator program into another tool for growing Rochester's broader technology economy.