Total exhibition area expanded by 8% from the previous year.
Nearly 1,500 exhibitors from 22 countries and regions
58,281 visitors
Two simultaneous events, generating a total of 200 conference reports
From March 18 to 20, 2026, the 21st Laser World of Photonics Shanghai was successfully held at Shanghai New International Expo Centre. This year’s exhibition achieved a double breakthrough in both scale and visitor numbers, with total exhibition area expanded by 8% year-on-year. Nearly 1,500 companies from 22 countries and regions around the world gathered to showcase their products and solutions. A total of 58,281 visitors attended the event, representing an increase of over 10% compared to the previous year. The two concurrent supporting events featured a total of 200 sessions and presentations, further highlighting the exhibition’s industry influence.
Within three days, the exhibition effectively linked both supply and demand sides, bringing together the world's leading enterprises, innovation pioneers, and specialized, sophisticated, distinctive, and innovative enterprises. New products and major products were released intensively, covering the core areas of the whole industrial chain with various highlights. At the same time, diversified concurrent activities and technical forums were carried out in an orderly manner, constituting a high-standard, high-level, and popular annual feast.
Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, CEO, Messe München, said: "Every year, Laser World of Photonics Shanghai brings together global industry giants and innovative enterprises, fully demonstrating the vigorous trend of accelerating global optoelectronics technology iteration and fruitful innovation results. The exhibition has become an important indicator of technology trends in the photonics industry. "
Jan Rohde, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy General Manager, Messe Muenchen Shanghai Co., Ltd., said: "For photonics companies, Laser World of Photonics Shanghai is not only a display platform but also an important node in their annual strategy. The exhibition continues to deepen its niche areas, and the two-way empowerment between enterprises and the exhibition has promoted the development of the photonics industry. "
This year, Laser World of Photonics Shanghai, with a luxury lineup of the global photonics industry, featured high specifications and a large scale. International giants and leading Chinese enterprises complemented each other and competed side by side to showcase their core products, technology, and solutions in seven major fields: Laser and Laser Systems for Production Engineering; Laser and Optoelectronics; Integrated Photonics & Optical Communication; Optics; Manufacturing Technology for Optics; Optical Metrology and Quality Assurance and Infrared Technology and Application. International exhibitors came from Germany, the United States, Canada, Japan, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea, and other countries. Chinese exhibitors also demonstrated their strong industrial collaboration ability and showed the world the charm of China's intelligent manufacturing with independently developed core technologies.
Laser World of Photonics Shanghai 2026 also welcomed several leading Chinese scientific research institutes, with high-end technologies and star products on display in various exhibition areas, covering all core photonics fields, such as precision optics, aerospace, laser technology, infrared detection, special materials, photonic chips, optical communication, semiconductors, and intelligent sensing. They built a core innovation matrix of photonics with top scientific research strength, setting up a professional exchange platform for the exhibition to deeply integrate industry-academia-research cooperation and efficiently transform scientific and technological achievements. In addition, the Quantum Computing Museum and the Biomedical Photonics Zone gained tremendous popularity. The two accompanying programs—the Light Conference on Laser & Sensor and the PHOTONICS CONGRESS SHANGHAI— gathered a large number of world-renowned scientists. The warm atmosphere of on-site exchanges and talks fully demonstrated the vigorous development trend of the photonics industry.
