Optics Valley and Arizona Optics Initiative
Optics Valley Committee Forms in 2017
The Arizona Optics Industry Association (AOIA), founded in 1992, was the world’s first optics industry cluster and represented the Arizona optics industry until the end of 2016. At that time AOIA was dissolved and the optics cluster initiative was transferred to Optics Valley, a committee of the Arizona Technology Council. Optics Valley is the new generation of the industry cluster with a mission to catalyze, convene and connect optics, photonics, astronomy and supporting businesses throughout Arizona. John Dennis, Strategy1 president, was a leader in this transition and became the Optics Valley Committee chair, with Jack Schumann as co-chair.
Optics Valley Highlights
Strategy1’s SBA Contract Accelerates Optics Growth in Arizona
In January 2019, Strategy1 was awarded a Small Business Association (SBA) contract to grow Arizona’s optics industry. The contract base year was 2019 with up to four additional option years. The Arizona Technology Council and its Optics Valley Committee are strategic growth partners in the program. Other key program partners include Pima Community College, The University of Arizona Tech Launch Arizona and Tech Parks Arizona. Option year one was renewed by the SBA in January 2020 and option year two renewed in January 2021.
The Arizona Optics Initiative (AOI), led by John Dennis and Strategy1, is the working program and team that fulfills the SBA contract. AOI works with all optics companies in Arizona, with the Optics Valley Committee as its primary communication channel, to:
Facilitate scale-up and growth of existing companies
Promote the formation and development of entrepreneurial companies
Enhance the visibility and community awareness of Arizona optics industry as a critical enabling technology for the 4th Industrial Revolution
Meet the AOI Team
Annual Reports
Download the annual reports prepared for SBA: