From light to product

Heiko Kurz received his Phd in Physics in 2014 from Leibniz University of Hannover. He joined Volkswagen Group Research in Wolfsburg in 2017 and is currently heading the Self Driving System Center of Excellence AD at Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge / ADMT. His research interests are focused on novel automotive radar & sensor techniques, automated driving as well Advanced Optical Technologies.

Kyle Benkendorfer was educated at the London Business School, Texas A&M University and Reed College, and brings more than 35 years of experience to his role at X-Celeprint. He previously served for five years as Sr. Director of Business Development at Semprius, Inc. responsible for licensing micro-transfer print technology, and has served as a Director and CEO of X-Celeprint since its inception. Prior to his employment with Semprius, Mr. Benkendorfer directed the global support and commercial development of OLED polymers for The Dow Chemical Company. He also has previous experience at Dow developing spin-on dielectrics, high-tensile-strength polymer fibers, and ultra-high purity encapsulants for high performance semiconductors.

Sylvie Menezo is CEO of SCINTIL Photonics, which she founded in November 2018 after being Laureate of the ILAB French contest from BPIfrance. SCINTIL has developed and exploits a circuit technology born at CEA-Leti for monolithically integrating lasers on advanced silicon photonics, in the domains of optical communications and sensing applications. Before founding SCINTIL, Menezo managed the Silicon Photonics Lab (2012-2014) and the Business Development activities in integrated photonics (2014-2017) at CEA-Leti (Grenoble). She previously worked at NZAT (Boston, USA), Alcatel (Marcoussis, France), and at Sercel-Compagnie Générale de Géophysique (Nantes France and Houston USA), managing product development teams or product lines.

Since 2021, Menezo is at the board of ePIXfab, a European not-for-profit open alliance of academic and industrial organizations with a mission to promote silicon photonics science, technology and applications.

She is involved in technical committees of OFC, ECOC.

Sylvie Menezo holds an Engineering degree from INSA Lyon (1997), a Ph.D from Centre National d’Etude des Télécommunications (1999, Bagneux) and a Part Time Executive MBA from Audencia Nantes (2007).

After starting his career in the French Ministry of Industry, Dr. Patrick Cogez joined STMicroelectronics in 1988, where he designed and implemented the Information Systems of the Crolles R&D and Manufacturing site, and was later appointed Director for Innovation and External Research for the Technology R&D of the Embedded Solutions Sector of STMicroelectronics. He is currently Technical Director of AENEAS, a not-for-profit Industrial Association representing its members in the ECS value chain and aiming at fostering Research and Innovation and creating an effective funding landscape. He is the current Chair of the ECS Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda, and involved in several European collaborative projects on international cooperation ans skills development for the microelectronics industry.

Patrick graduated from Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole des Ponts et Chaussées in France, and holds a M.Sc. degree in Operations Research and a PhD in Industrial Engineering, both from the University of California at Berkeley. He completed an Executive MBA programme at NEOMA Business School, Paris. He co-managed three PhD theses and co-authored several articles on the management of breakthrough innovation.

Markus, a seasoned expert in European research and innovation funding policy and strategy, has been with VDI TZ since 2002. His proficiency lies in initiating and coordinating innovation-focused deep-tech initiatives at the intersection of research, industry, and politics. Markus coordinated the establishment of the photonics stakeholder organisation Photonics21, which has grown to more than 4000 members from industry and academia.  Photonics21 works with the European Commission in the Photonics Public Private Partnerships of the EU Framework Programmes, channeling over 1 billion euros into photonics industry oriented research and innovation projects. He was involved in the European Commission’s Key Enabling Technology Initiative, leveraging his in-depth knowledge of European institutions and associated organizations. Prior to his current role, Markus served as a technology consultant for Bayerische Landesbank.

Dr. Danaë Delbeke is the inventor, founder and CEO of Indigo. She drives Indigo’s strategic vision, culture and passion to transform science into products that will improve the life of millions of people. She has a successful track-record in business management and entrepreneurship having successfully founded or co-founded 7 high-tech photonics companies over the past 12 years. She received her Ph.D. degree in Applied Sciences from Ghent University in 2002 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics as well as a Bachelor and Masters of Applied Sciences/Engineering in Photonics.