David Krohn

David Krohn has over 50 years of experience in the photonics industry. He is the managing partner of Light Wave Venture LLC, a company focused on developing photonic business opportunities over a broad range of markets. A trained scientist turned businessman, David has assisted more than 127 companies and organizations, working with key management on product development, commercialization, funding and acquisitions. In prior experience, David founded EOTec Corporation in 1979 to manufacture specialty fiber, sensors, cables, cable assemblies and data links. He was the CEO there until the business was acquired by 3M in 1987. From 1987 to 1998, he was General Manager of the 3M Specialty Optical Fiber Business that included the Bragg Grating Technologies business acquired from UTC in 1995. He started the Photonic (Fiber Optic) Sensor Consortium which today has more than 60 participating companies and organizations. As the photonics marketplace has radically changed over the past several years, he has worked with a number of companies to diversify into non-telecommunications markets including military, homeland security, biomedical and green energy areas such as alternative energy sources and solid state lighting. In prior experience, he served as Global New Business Director for Photonics at 3M Company. Currently, David is also very active in many technical societies and teaches short courses in technology and business development. He has written five books and more than 60 papers and holds 27 photonics-related patents.