We are honored to announce that Prof. Ryszard Piramidowicz, PIC Program Director at VIGO Photonics, has been selected as one of 100 leading global personalities in the photonics industry, joining the prestigious Photonics100 list for 2026.
This year's list of photonics personalities was unveiled on September 24, 2025, during the Microelectronics UK conference in London. Ryszard Piramidowicz is the only person from Poland distinguished in this year's ranking.
Ryszard was nominated in the Photonics Vendors category. He is recognized in the photonics industry as the leader of the groundbreaking HyperPIC project - an initiative aiming to enable the first large-scale production of mid-infrared Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) for advanced applications in compact sensor systems. The project will culminate in the launch of Europe's first dedicated foundry for high-volume manufacturing of mid-IR photonic circuits, opening new frontiers for innovation and industrial growth.
Alongside his industry role, Ryszard has a strong academic background. He is an Associate Professor and Head of the Optoelectronics Division at the Institute of Microelectronics and Optoelectronics, Warsaw University of Technology (WUT). His expertise covers optical spectroscopy, solid-state laser technology, fiber-optic communications, and integrated photonics. He is the author of more than 400 peer-reviewed journal and conference publications and has led, coordinated, or served as principal investigator in over 30 R&D and investment projects in optoelectronics.
The Photonics100 2026 edition is the fourth release of this prestigious industry ranking. It celebrates the people driving the photonics industry forward - innovators, disruptors, boundary-pushers, out-of-the-box thinkers, and R&D leaders. It shines a spotlight on the experts at the cutting edge of our field - Chief Technical Officers, Heads of R&D, Senior Engineers, research leaders, entrepreneurs, and many more.
As in previous years, nominees were recognized in one of four categories: Photonics Vendors, Original Equipment Manufacturers using photonics, Start-ups, or Academia/Research.
The Photonics100 is powered by Electro Optics, the leading portal for engineers engaged with the global photonics industry.