OptecNet Deutschland

Name

OptecNet Deutschland

Legal name

OptecNet Deutschland e.V.

Website

https://optecnet.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Photonics Industry Association

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs) (HDAHAAAH)

Keywords

• Photonics industry network
• Optical technologies association
• Quantum technology coordination
• Innovation network membership
• Technology transfer facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanover

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: OptecNet Deutschland generates revenue through membership fees from its regional network members (the eight regional photonics networks) and indirectly through member companies and research institutions that are part of those regional networks. As a registered non-profit association (e.V.), revenue supports the coordination of regional activities, international cooperation, technology transfer, innovation promotion, and nationwide public relations.
2. Event participation fees: The association and its regional networks organize paid events such as the Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing Symposium (250 EUR per participant). Job portal services are provided free of charge to employers and job seekers. Revenue from events supports the association's networking and promotional activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

OptecNet Deutschland e.V. is the national registered non-profit association coordinating 8 regional photonics innovation networks in Germany and representing approximately 600 member companies and research institutions. It sells association membership, runs a dedicated photonics job portal, organizes networking events and symposiums, and operates the PHOTONICS GERMANY industry-research dialogue platform. The core market scope covers photonics, quantum technologies, optical components, laser production, optical measurement, and light-based data transmission.

Product overview

OptecNet Deutschland e.V. ist Deutschlands mitgliederstärkster Photonikverband (Dachverband), der keine eigene Software entwickelt, sondern als Netzwerkorganisation und Branchenplattform fungiert. Das Leistungsangebot umfasst ein Stellenportal für die Photonikbranche, ein Veranstaltungsportal für Seminare, Konferenzen und NetzwerksEvents (BarBQ, Heidelberger Bildverarbeitungsforum, Symposium FTQC4Nsc, Delegationsreisen), ein Nachrichtenportal mit branchenrelevanten Meldungen sowie die Koordination der PHOTONICS GERMANY Allianz. Die acht regionalen Netzwerke (OpTecBB, PhotonicNet GmbH, Hanse Photonik, OptoNet, Photonics BW, bayern photonics u.a.) bilden die operative Basis, über die rund 600 Unternehmen und Forschungseinrichtungen organisiert sind.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stellenmarkt (Photonics Job Portal)

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 600 companies and research institutions networked under one national umbrella
• +4 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• SPECTARIS e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPHOTONICS GERMANY is the strategic alliance between OptecNet Deutschland e.V. and SPECTARIS e.V., the German industry association for photonics and medical technology. The alliance strengthens the position of the German high-tech industry at national and European levels, initiates activities to enhance competitiveness of companies and research institutions, improves framework conditions for photonics and quantum technologies, and develops targeted funding offers. The alliance serves as the representative interlocutor for policymakers on funding policy, legislation, and skilled labor issues.
• EPIC – European Photonics Industry ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOptecNet Deutschland (through OpTecBB) cooperates with EPIC, the European Photonics Industry Consortium, to host the EPIC Technology Meeting on Photonics for Quantum Technologies. The event brings together international experts from industry and research to discuss advances and opportunities in quantum technologies, with site visits to leading Berlin-Adlershof research institutions and companies.
• AKL International Laser ConferenceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOptecNet Deutschland is a partner of the AKL International Laser Conference (lasercongress.org), a leading European conference for laser technology.
• DGAO (German Association for Applied Optics)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOptecNet Deutschland partners with DGAO (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Angewandte Optik), the German Association for Applied Optics, to support optical technology knowledge exchange and events.
• DPG (German Physical Society)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOptecNet Deutschland is a partner of the DPG (Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft), Germany's largest physics professional society, collaborating on events and public outreach in photonics and quantum technologies.
• LASE (International Conference on Laser Applications)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOptecNet Deutschland is a partner of the LASE conference, part of the SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics symposium series, supporting laser technology knowledge exchange.
• World of Photonics (Messe München)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerOptecNet Deutschland partners with Messe München for the World of Photonics trade fair, organizing joint exhibition stands and promoting participation among its member networks. The World of Photonics is a premier global photonics exhibition.
• Quantum Effects (Messe Stuttgart)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerOptecNet Deutschland (through its regional networks) partners with Messe Stuttgart for the Quantum Effects trade fair, organizing joint stands and providing networking activities such as the Cross-Cluster Event 'Quantum Technologies meet Aerospace and Defence' and startup investment pitches.
• Optatec (Messe Frankfurt)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOptecNet Deutschland is a partner of Optatec, a leading trade fair for optical technologies, fiber optic communication, and laser manufacturing in Frankfurt.
• AHK Taiwan (German Chamber of Commerce Abroad, Taiwan)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAHK Taiwan conducts the Taiwan economic and culture briefing for OpTecBB's delegation trip to Taiwan (September 2-8, 2026), providing market intelligence and facilitating business connections for German photonics companies.
• PPTF (Poznań Photonics/Tech Network)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpTecBB cooperates with PPTF (Poznań Photonics/Tech Network) for international delegation visits focused on quantum technologies and photonics cooperation. The partnership facilitates cross-border knowledge exchange and joint project initiation between German and Polish photonics ecosystems.
• QuantumBWmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuantumBW and OptecNet Deutschland (through its regional networks) collaborate on quantum technology initiatives, including SPRIN-D funding programs, the 'From Lab to Fab' project for enabling technologies, and joint events such as the Quantum Effects trade fair and the Quantum Effects Award.
• SPRIN-D (Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPRIN-D, Germany's agency for breakthrough innovation, runs the 'Quantum-Driven Intelligence' challenge for quantum sensing applications. OptecNet Deutschland and QuantumBW support companies in finding the right partners with quantum sensing expertise for their applications.
• Fraunhofer IOF (Jena)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFraunhofer IOF in Jena organizes the Applied Photonics Award, a youth promotion prize for outstanding theses in applied photonics. OptecNet supports and promotes this award through its network.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SPIE: International society for optics and photonics that runs major conferences (Photonics Europe, Optoelectronics) and publishes flagship journals. OptecNet is a partner of several SPIE events (e.g., LASE), making SPIE a global-scale incumbent peer in the same ecosystem.
• Optica (formerly OSA - The Optical Society): Global professional society for optics and photonics, larger and broader in scope than OptecNet. Comparable as a community/conference/standards body serving the same underlying photonics community, especially in research and standards setting.

Direct peers

• Photonics21: European Technology Platform for photonics that coordinates EU research priorities and funding roadmaps. Comparable to OptecNet in mission (industry-academia coordination, policy advocacy) but operating one level higher in the EU funding ecosystem.
• ICO - International Commission for Optics: Global scientific body promoting optics and photonics across academia and industry via national committees and events. Functionally comparable as an umbrella/photonics-coordination organization, though operating internationally rather than nationally.
• DGAO - Deutsche Gesellschaft für Angewandte Optik: German Association for Applied Optics, a parallel national scientific association focused on applied optics research and conferences. It is a direct peer in terms of organizing optics-focused events and serving research institutions, and has an active GTM partnership with OptecNet.
• EPIC - European Photonics Industry Consortium: European-level photonics industry consortium organizing technology meetings, delegations and working groups. OptecNet co-hosts EPIC events (e.g., the EPIC Technology Meeting on Photonics for Quantum Technologies in Berlin-Adlershof), making it the closest functional peer at supranational scope.
• SPECTARIS e.V. German industry association covering photonics, medical technology, consumer optics and consumer health. It is OptecNet's strategic PHOTONICS GERMANY alliance partner and the most directly comparable national trade body with overlapping advocacy, events and member services.

Others

• Photonics Media / Laurin Publishing: B2B media and information services provider for the global photonics industry (industry directory, trade publications, buyers' guide). Not a competitor association but a thematic adjacent ecosystem participant serving photonics discovery and information needs, much like OptecNet's news and job portal.

Regional players

• ZVEI - Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektronikindustrie: German electrical and digital industry association whose Photonics Forum serves a constituent base that overlaps with OptecNet's SME members. Comparable as a national industry-association peer covering electronic and photonic components manufacturers.
• VDMA - Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau: Germany's mechanical engineering industry association, covering adjacent photonics-adjacent fields such as laser manufacturing and optics production machinery. While not a direct photonics peer, it represents a comparable national industry-association model with policy and trade fair reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/optecnet-deutschland-e-v

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OptecNet Deutschland