Deadline: January 12, 2026
The Luminate Accelerator, a program of NextCorps based in Rochester, New York, is inviting applications from startups developing innovative technologies using optics, photonics, or imaging, offering funding, mentorship, and investor access to help them scale and enhance investability.
The Luminate program invests $3 million annually to support high-potential startups working with optics, photonics, and imaging (OPI) technologies. Each selected company receives $100,000 at the start of the seven-month hybrid program, along with the opportunity to compete for up to $1 million in follow-on funding as the Company of the Year. Participants gain exposure to more than 30 investors, including Samsung, Sony, Corning, Johnson & Johnson, and Launchpad Ventures Boston.
Luminate provides mentorship from a world-class advisory board and access to advanced resources such as PitchBook, Zemax OpticStudio, MATLAB, and SiliconExpert. Cohort members benefit from strong connections within the New York Photonics cluster, which comprises over 160 OPI companies, as well as access to skilled talent, manufacturing facilities, and state and federal research centers. Weekly instruction covers essential business topics, including sales, marketing, IP protection, and finance.
To qualify, applicants must be incorporated companies with proven optics, photonics, or imaging technology at least at the lab scale. Teams must have a minimum of two full-time members, including C-level executives available to attend in-person sessions in Rochester one week per month. The hybrid program allows companies to balance remote work while engaging directly with investors and mentors through on-site activities.
For more information, visit NextCorps.
