Panel:
From Light to Insight: Photonics in Digital Border Security

Jyrki Saarinen is an internationally recognized expert in photonics applications and the commercialization of emerging optical technologies. With more than three decades of experience across advanced research, entrepreneurship, and industrial innovation, he has dedicated his career to transforming cutting-edge photonics concepts into real-world solutions with global impact. Saarinen is the founder of Heptagon, a pioneering wafer-level micro-optics company that grew from a university spin-off into a global supplier of optical technologies used in over a billion consumer devices - one of Finland’s notable deep-tech success stories.

Today, Saarinen serves as Professor of Photonics Applications and Commercialization at the University of Eastern Finland, where he leads the Center for Photonics Sciences. He is also Deputy Director of Finland’s national PREIN Photonics Research and Innovation Flagship, working at the intersection of science, industry, and innovation ecosystems to accelerate the economic and societal impact of photonics technologies.

At SOHJO 2026, Saarinen will explore how the science of light - photonics - can transform the future of border security, enabling advanced sensing, imaging, and detection capabilities. His talk highlights emerging breakthroughs in the field while addressing the technological challenges that must be solved to bring these next-generation solutions into real-world use.

We’re thrilled to welcome Jyrki Saarinen to SOHJO Business Event as part of UEF x SOHJO partnership.