Vilnius is set to host an exceptional concentration of international laser and photonics events in 2026, a sector where science and industry have worked closely together for more than six decades in the country.
Among the headline events are the International Conference on Laser Ablation (COLA 2026), taking place on 14–18 September at the Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva, and the Optica Laser Congress and Exhibition, scheduled for 11–15 October. During the same week as COLA, Vilnius will also host LHCb Week 2026, bringing together researchers involved in the CERN LHCb experiment.
Lithuania’s laser sector now includes more than 60 companies employing over 2,000 specialists, with around 90–95% of production exported worldwide. Its technologies are used in semiconductor manufacturing, healthcare, defence, aerospace and environmental sensing, among other fields.
“Lithuania’s laser sector is built on a uniquely close relationship between research and industry, and Vilnius has become the center of this ecosystem,” said Dr Gediminas Račiukaitis, President of the Lithuanian Laser Association. “International conferences help connect scientists, engineers, and companies and accelerate innovation across the field.”
The city’s role is further reinforced by institutions such as the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology and Vilnius University, which joined the CERN LHCb experiment as an official institute in 2024.
Among Lithuania’s leading photonics companies, Integrated Optics recently developed a space-qualified laser system used in one of the first quantum computers deployed in orbit. “The space environment is unforgiving in almost every possible way,” said CEO Evaldas Pabrėža. “We’re now exploring how to bring these advancements back to Earth.”