- THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED -

As materials and component innovators, do you consider moving “upstream” into systems solutions? How did firms like IPG Photonics, Ciena and Illumina capitalize on their initial device level photonic materials patents and expertise to disrupt major end-markets and create sustainable companies valued in the billions?

Our panel of executives will share their experiences in growing firms from a small component supplier into full-fledged systems and solutions providers. This event features panelists who have built successful leaders in a variety of fields: Medical diagnostics, Aerospace applications, high-volume precision manufacturing, and LIDAR for automotive. Why did they transition their companies from devices into systems? What challenges did they face: with customers, employees, investors? What gaps in knowledge and talent did they have to fill to succeed?

11:45 AM
Introduction from the Chair

John Dexheimer President LightWave Advisors (United States)

11:50 AM
Princeton Lightwave

Yves Dzialowski Chairman Princeton Lightwave (United States)

From 2003 into 2020, Yves Dzialowski served as CEO of Princeton Lightwave Inc. for over a decade and following its 2017 acquisition by Ford Motors, Argo AI business he served as Executive Advisor at Argo AI. He oversaw the transition of PLI from a communications diode laser manufacturer into developing a range advanced Geiger mode detectors for high precision sensing. Upstream systems applications included quantum communications, bio-chemical imaging, and advanced LIDAR for military, avionics and automotive customers. By adding software based analytical capabilities, the auto industry sought out their LIDAR systems and capabilities to addresses one of the most challenging applications in computer science, robotics, and artificial intelligence: virtual driving systems that enable vehicles to be fully autonomous in long-range complex environments. In 2020, Volkswagen invested $2.6 Billion in Argo AI and in 2021 it has stated intent for a public offering to support roll-out of 2022 robo-taxi offerings.
Prior to Princeton Lightwave, Yves was Senior VP, Strategy and Business Development, at JDS-Uniphase Corporation (JDSU). Yves was the President and Chief Operating Officer at EPITAXX Inc., a supplier of detectors and receivers for optical networks that was acquired by JDSU in 1999. Yves has also served on the boards of several high technology photonics companies and advises companies in both the EU and US. He received a Doctorate in Optics from the University of Paris in 1977.

12:00 PM
Phoenix Venture Partners

Frank Levinson General Partner Phoenix Venture Partners (United States)

Levinson is a Venture Partner and co-founder of Phoenix Venture Partners (PVP). He is also a Managing Director of the Small World Group Incubator, a technology incubator which works closely with PVP to identify and mentor early-stage advanced materials start-up technologies. Dr. Levinson has an exceptional 30-year track record of starting and building Advanced Materials-enabled companies in the IT sector. Most notably, Dr. Levinson was the founder, Chief Technology Officer, and Chairman of Finisar Corporation (NASDAQ:FNSR), which he built into a multibillion dollar optical components and subsystems supplier and grew revenue from zero to over $500 M in annual sales.
During his tenure at Finisar, Dr. Levinson built out the company’s manufacturing in Asia and oversaw the implementation of more than 12 corporate partnerships, including those with Honeywell, Sensors Unlimited, and Infineon. Dr. Levinson earned his BS from Butler University and his PhD from the University of Virginia. He serves as a mentor and angel investor to several Advanced Materials, IT, and CleanTech start-ups as well as on the board of directors of Fabrinet (NYSE:FN). He was an early investor in Daylight Solutions.
Among companies in the Phoenix portfolio that have utilized optical components as a core to build upstream solution business models are: Broadspot (opthalmalogy camera), Sentinel (optical inspection in in-line pharma manufacturing) Rapsodo (Imaging analytics for sports training), Oyla (LiDAR-integrated 3D-aware surveillance system).

12:10 PM
LightDeck Diagnostics

Chris Myatt Founder and Chief Innovation Officer LightDeck Diagnostics (United States)

Chris Myatt is the founder and CEO of LightDeck Diagnostics, Inc. Prior to LightDeck Diagnostics, Chris founded and led Precision Photonics Corporation, a successful optical component technology supplier that is now a division of IDEX since 2012. Lightdeck was incubated as mBio Diagnostics at PPC and spun-off to focus on PoC biological instruments.
Trained as a physicist and measurement scientist, Chris invented and developed multiple technologies that formed the basis of his companies. He earned a B.S. in Physics and a B.A. in Mathematics at Southern Methodist University. Chris also earned a Ph.D. in Atomic Physics at the University of Colorado. He studied Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) under Carl Wieman (Nobel Prize, 2001), helping to create the first BEC condensate in the Wieman lab. He also studied quantum information under David Wineland (Nobel Prize, 2012) as a National Research Council (NRC) Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder. Chris earned a BS/BA in Physics/Mathematics from Southern Methodist University and a PhD in Atomic Physics at University of Colorado at Boulder.

12:20 PM
DRS Daylight Solutions

Tim Day Senior VP and GM DRS Daylight Solutions (United States)

Timothy Day is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Leonardo DRS Daylight Solutions business. Leonardo DRS Daylight Solutions is an advanced manufacturer of molecular detection and imaging products, serving markets that include industrial process control, medical diagnostics and defense and security using Mid IR lasers and sensor systems. Dr. Day has over 25 years' experience in both technical and business management in the photonics industry. He has led engineering, research, product development, manufacturing, and marketing operations.
Tim started his career in 1990 as a cofounder of New Focus, where he served through its successful IPO and until the sale of the company to Bookham Technologies PLC in 2004. Drawing on his laser expertise, in 2004, he founded Daylight Solutions with a focus on Mid-IR applications where he developed extensive patent and product portfolios, built key supply chain relations and transferred numerous products into production for both commercial and military applications. He is also a board member of Coldquanta, a leader in photonic based quantum technologies and products. Dr. Day holds both a BS and an MS in Physics from San Diego State University and a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.

12:30 PM
Ouster Automotive

Shauna McIntyre President Ouster Automotive (United States)

Shauna McIntyre is President of Ouster Automotive, a leading public optical LIDAR firm, having merged the complementary LIDAR offerings of Sense Photonics as CEO which she joined in 2020 from Google. Shauna began her career with Ford Motor Company, where she automated manufacturing plants overseas and led Final Assembly production at a UAW truck plant in the Midwest. She then worked as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company where she focused on R&D productivity and later joined automotive and commercial vehicle Tier 1 Honeywell International (Garrett) during a major transformation period. As VP of the Honeywell’s Commercial Vehicle Turbocharger platform, she revamped the product portfolio transformed the business from No. 4 ranking in the market to first or second in each segment served globally. Her work in spearheading a Honeywell invention resulted in the company receiving the coveted PACE Award.
At Google she led its automotive services program that brought together the Android Operating System, Google Assistant and Google Maps to provide cars a safe, seamless, self-improving connected experience. Prior, she served as Chief of Staff for Google Devices, the company’s consumer electronics division that combines Google AI, software, and hardware to provide consumers with “radically helpful” experiences. She led the team’s major milestones in on-road engine performance and emissions and co-founded the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE). Since April 2019 she has also served on the Board of Directors of Lithia Motors (NYSE: LAD), one of the world’s largest providers of personal transportation solutions. Shauna holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from UCLA and UC Berkeley, respectively, and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.

12:40 PM
Panel Discussion on Business Model Transformations: Upscaling into End Systems from the Photonic Components

Moderator:
John Dexheimer, LightWave Advisors (United States)

Panelists:
Tim Day, DRS Daylight Solutions (United States)
Yves Dzialowski, Princeton Lightwave (United States)
Frank Levinson, Phoenix Venture Partners (United States)
Shauna McIntyre, Ouster Automotive (United States)
Chris Myatt, LightDeck Diagnostics (United States)