semiconductor and electronics manufacturing · San Francisco
SPIE Photonics West 2027Exhibitor guide to booth costs, dates and deadlines
Two expos, one week of light: Photonics West 2027 booths in San Francisco
- Event dates
- January 30–February 4, 2027
- Exhibit hall
- February 2–4, 2027 (BiOS Expo January 30–31)
- Venue
- Moscone Center (North, South and West), San Francisco
4.9 star client ratingSince 201510,000+ booths built3,000+ exhibitors
Quick answers
SPIE Photonics West 2027 in 30 seconds
The short version for SPIE Photonics West exhibitors. Each SPIE Photonics West figure is sourced further down the page.
- When is SPIE Photonics West 2027?
- January 30–February 4, 2027, at Moscone Center (North, South and West), San Francisco.
- When is the hall open at SPIE Photonics West?
- February 2–4, 2027 (BiOS Expo January 30–31).
- How big is SPIE Photonics West?
- 23,000+ registered attendees, about 1,600 exhibitors (2026 edition).
- How much is a 10×20 booth at SPIE Photonics West, all-in?
- $7,500 – $15,000, all-in, for a Purple rental with design, graphics, lighting, install and dismantle. Space and show services are billed by SPIE Photonics West.
The lookSan Francisco 2027
Laser lines. Moscone in midwinter.
SPIE Photonics West, January 30 to February 4, 2027 at Moscone Center. About 24,000 people and 1,400+ exhibitors expected, per SPIE, from biophotonics at BiOS Expo to lasers, quantum, vision and the new Embedded Vision Summit.
Everything about SPIE Photonics West 2027 in one place
SPIE Photonics West 2027 fact sheet
| Official name | SPIE Photonics West 2027 |
|---|---|
| Event dates | January 30–February 4, 2027 |
| Exhibit hall dates | February 2–4, 2027 (BiOS Expo January 30–31) source |
| Venue | Moscone Center (North, South and West) 747 Howard St, San Francisco, CA 94103 |
| Organizer | SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics |
| Size (2026) | 23,000+ registered attendees · about 1,600 exhibitors source |
| Who attends | Optical and laser engineers, researchers, biomedical optics teams, quantum and machine vision developers and business leaders |
| Nearest airport | San Francisco International Airport (SFO) |
| Hotels | SPIE's official hotel block for Photonics West |
| Official website | spie.org |
Official SPIE Photonics West resources
SPIE Photonics West 2027 calendar
SPIE Photonics West 2027 show dates
SPIE Photonics West 2027 show days, each with a link to the page that states it.
- Conferences open; SPIE BiOS Expo opensExhibitors and attendees source
- Final day of BiOS ExpoBiOS exhibitors source
- SPIE Global Business ForumIndustry executives (separate registration) source
- SPIE Photonics West Exhibition opensExhibitors source
- SPIE Prism AwardsAward entrants source
- Final day of the exhibition and conferencesExhibitors and attendees source
01 Purple at SPIE Photonics West 2027
Two expos, one week of light: Photonics West 2027 booths in San Francisco
Photonics West visitors are optical engineers who compare beam quality, wavelengths and detector curves booth by booth, so the stand has to show the light working. We plan for BiOS Expo and the main exhibition on separate days and build to Moscone's stamped-plan rules for tall and covered structures.
- Feb 2–4 · Moscone Center
- 1,400+ exhibitors expected
- BiOS Expo Jan 30–31
What makes SPIE Photonics West different, and how we build for it
SPIE calls Photonics West the largest photonics exhibition in North America, and it is really two shows in one week at Moscone.SPIE BiOS Expo, for biomedical optics and biophotonics, opens January 30–31; the SPIE Photonics West Exhibition follows February 2–4 with Quantum West, Vision Tech and AR | VR | MR inside it. In between come the SPIE Global Business Forum on February 1 and the Prism Awards on February 3. For 2027 the Embedded Vision Summit joins as a sixth application area beside BiOS, LASE, OPTO, Quantum West and AR | VR | MR. Visitors judge by what the light does: live sources, measured output and a specialist at the counter win.
Beam profiles, wavelengths and power on a live demo, specs printed large enough to compare from the aisle, and an application engineer who can talk integration.
BiOS Expo days set aside for microscopy, OCT and biophotonics, with sample images on screen and people who know the clinical or lab workflow.
Working cameras, sensors and photonic chips in the Vision Tech, Quantum West and AR | VR | MR areas, plus quiet space for roadmap and supply talks.
Your team in San Francisco
Two shops behind your SPIE Photonics West booth
Your SPIE Photonics West booth is built in our own production shop in Fishkill, NY, or at our Las Vegas hub, shipped to the Moscone Center (North, South and West) and installed by vetted local labor with our own project manager on the floor. Turnaround is a predictable 30 to 45 days, with pre-show QA and secure storage for your SPIE Photonics West booth.
When your team gets to San Francisco, the booth is lit and stocked. You just show up.
New at SPIE Photonics West 2027
- Embedded Vision Summit joins the week
The Embedded Vision Summit, with 60+ exhibitors in computer vision and physical AI, runs February 2–4 inside Photonics West. Camera, sensor and edge AI companies can now reach vision buyers and optics engineers on the same days in one building. source
Inside SPIE Photonics West 2027
Rules that shape your SPIE Photonics West booth
Two-story and covered booths need Moscone Fire Marshal approval of plans stamped by a licensed engineer, plus smoke detectors and an extinguisher per level, and a ceiling of 24 ft or more. We engineer and submit the package.
Any freestanding element over 12 ft at Moscone needs an engineer-stamped drawing or attachment to rig points, and drape lines of 16 ft or more must be rigged. We decide which route fits each tower early.
Exhibitors may hand-carry only what they can carry in one trip through the lobby, with no carts or dollies in lobbies or passenger elevators and no curb parking. We ship demo hardware with the booth freight instead.
Moscone has no shipping, receiving or storage, freight may not arrive before the first move-in day, and exhibitors may not drive forklifts. We use the advance warehouse and the contractor's dock schedule.
Moscone Facility Services is the exclusive provider of wired and wireless internet and telephone service in the building. We order connections per demo station so cameras and analyzers are live at opening.
Programs worth planning for
Product awards for photonics companies, presented February 3, 2027 during the exhibition week; nine companies are honored, per SPIE.
A pitch competition for early-stage photonics entrepreneurs during the week; SPKL took the $5,000 second prize in 2026.
SPIE's job fair inside the exhibition, where exhibitors recruit optics and photonics engineers without leaving the floor.
A three-day business program on the quantum industry, part of the Quantum West area inside the main exhibition.
Photonics West is North America's biggest photonics floor, lasers to biophotonics to vision; pick it over OFC when your buyers make or use lasers, optics and imaging rather than optical networking and data center links. See how SPIE Photonics West compares with every semiconductor and electronics manufacturing show we build for →
semiconductor and electronics manufacturing at SPIE Photonics West
The industry behind SPIE Photonics West, in pictures
02 Booths & pricing for SPIE Photonics West 2027
Popular booth sizes at SPIE Photonics West
Photonics West sells space across two exhibitions and several themed areas, and the BiOS Expo closes before the main exhibition opens, so some exhibitors take a booth in each. Optics and detector suppliers do well in a 10×20 built around one running source; laser and system houses usually need a 20×20 or 20×30 island on the main floor.
One enclosed live source with a camera and monitor on the output, a spec wall by product family and a counter for datasheets and integration questions.
Shown: a Purple inline booth for data-pixel
See 10×20 rental booths →
Three bays in a row: the beam demo, a detector and camera wall, and a quoting table, so a long look at a spectrum never blocks the next visitor.
Pictured: Barantech, a Purple inline booth
See 10×30 rental booths →
An island with an enclosed demo at the center, four aisle-facing product stations and a small meeting room for OEM and distributor talks.
Shown: a Purple island exhibit for LeadSquared
See 20×20 rental booths →
A flagship for a laser or system maker: two or three live demos, a short-talk bench between stage sessions, two meeting rooms and lockable spares storage.
Shown: dimi, a Purple island exhibit
See 20×30 rental booths →In Purple's SPIE Photonics West price
- Your design and 3D rendering, revised until it is right for SPIE Photonics West
- Booth structure and printed graphics, plus counters and storage as specified
- Lighting plus power distribution within the booth at SPIE Photonics West
- Install and dismantle at SPIE Photonics West, led by our project manager on the floor
- Every SPIE Photonics West show-service order and deadline tracked for you
What SPIE Photonics West and its contractor bill
- Booth space, paid to SPIE
- Drayage, or material handling, when it is not in the SPIE Photonics West space rate
- Electrical service, internet and rigging at the Moscone Center (North, South and West)
- Booth cleaning, and union labor where the Moscone Center (North, South and West) requires it
Rates to plan with for SPIE Photonics West:
- Booth build 10×20 rental $7,500–$15,000; custom 20×20 $50,000–$120,000, Purple's 2026 planning range source
Your proposal estimates all of these, so the total for SPIE Photonics West is on paper before you sign anything.
Ranges shown are all-in 2026 rental prices for design, structure, graphics, installation and dismantle at SPIE Photonics West; custom builds get their own quote. For an exact SPIE Photonics West figure, try the booth cost calculator; the 2026 booth cost guide has the ranges.
Send us your booth size for SPIE Photonics West and what the space needs to do. We reply within one business day and send a rendering and a fixed proposal, usually within a week. No charge.
In San Francisco, your team walks into a booth that is already lit and stocked. You just show up.
03 Built by Purple
Our booths, designed, built and installed, to compare for SPIE Photonics West
Case study · KLEEMANN
KLEEMANN at an industrial technology exhibition
For a global elevator manufacturer, an interactive booth with digital simulations, real product showcases and a floor plan that guided visitors from first step to last.
KLEEMANN's booth explained complex engineering through live product and simulation; a Photonics West booth does it with a working source and its measured output.
Read the KLEEMANN case study All case studies →“If you’re looking for a trade show booth expert who shows up and gets the job done right, Purple Exhibits is the real deal.”
Magdalena Kulisz, Service Manager, Miss Immigrant USA · what other clients say
Trusted by exhibitors including
04 Designing for laser, optics, photonics, biophotonics, quantum and machine vision companies at SPIE Photonics West
Four things we get right for SPIE Photonics West exhibitors
1Let the light do the selling
A Photonics West booth earns its stop with a working source. We build enclosed demo bays with a camera on the output and a large monitor for the spot, spectrum or image, so the aisle sees the result while the beam stays inside the housing.
2One kit, two expos
BiOS Expo closes January 31 and the main exhibition opens February 2. If you show at both, we design one modular kit with a biomedical graphic set and an industrial set, and plan the changeover around Moscone's move-in schedule.
3Stamp the tall and covered parts
Moscone requires Fire Marshal approval and a licensed engineer's stamp for two-story and covered booths, bans them where the ceiling is under 24 ft, and needs stamped drawings or rig points for any freestanding element over 12 ft. We engineer to those lines first.
4Specs for engineers, not slogans
Visitors compare wavelength, power, pulse width and noise across dozens of booths. We lay out spec walls like a clean datasheet with one application image per product family, and keep taglines short so the numbers carry.
Concept rendering
Every SPIE Photonics West proposal includes a rendering like this
The 3D view shows layout, graphics, lighting and product positions before we cut a panel, and we revise it until the SPIE Photonics West booth is right. This one is a Purple concept for Netronix.
Start my SPIE Photonics West conceptFloor at a glance
Where you could be at SPIE Photonics West 2027
Photonics West 2027 uses all three Moscone buildings, per the Moscone Center's listing. Your SPIE contract names the hall; these are the building rules that shape a booth in each.
Moscone North and South
Two of the three buildings named for the show; two-story and covered booths are allowed only where the ceiling is 24 ft or higher, with Fire Marshal approval.
Our advice Ask for a high-ceiling area if you want a covered meeting room, and we submit stamped plans early.
Moscone West
The third building on the show's list; two-story and covered structures are never allowed in its lobbies.
Our advice If your space or a satellite event is in West, plan graphics and freestanding elements under 12 ft or rigged.
Loading docks
Docks are staffed by the general contractor; freight may not arrive before the first move-in day and exhibitors may not drive forklifts.
Our advice We route everything through the advance warehouse so crates reach your booth on the contractor's schedule.
05 Moscone Center (North, South and West) · San Francisco
Logistics for SPIE Photonics West 2027, handled
Moscone is a union house: Teamsters Local 2785 handle freight and forklifts, I&D Sign and Display Workers Local #510 install exhibits and graphics, IATSE Local 16 covers rigging and AV, and IBEW Local 6 does booth electrical. The center has no shipping, receiving or storage, so freight goes to the general contractor's advance warehouse and arrives no earlier than the first move-in day. Hand-carry is one trip by hand, with no carts through the lobbies. We order Moscone Facility Services internet, ship to the advance warehouse, run install with our project manager and vetted Bay Area labor, and handle a BiOS-to-main-show changeover.
What Purple handles
- Closed laser housings with a live camera feed of the beam
- Stamped drawings for Moscone two-story, covered or tall elements
- Moscone Facility Services internet and contractor orders
- Changeover from BiOS Expo graphics to the main exhibition
- Moscone crews booked by union jurisdiction, led by your Purple project manager
SPIE Photonics West timeline, counted back from move-in
For SPIE Photonics West, we need design sign-off by late October 2026.
- Late October 2026Design sign-off; live demo and any two-story or covered elements locked for engineering.
- November 2026Production in Fishkill, NY or Las Vegas; stamped drawings prepared for the Moscone Fire Marshal.
- Late December 2026Booth ships to the general contractor's advance warehouse for San Francisco; internet and power orders filed.
- Days before January 30 or February 2, 2027Move-in for BiOS Expo or the main exhibition; our project manager installs and powers the demo.
- January 30–February 4, 2027BiOS Expo, then the Photonics West Exhibition; changeover between them if you show at both.
- After the February 4 closeDismantle and return, or storage for SPIE Optics + Photonics in August.
Purple's planning timeline for SPIE Photonics West. Official move-in, freight target and order deadlines for SPIE Photonics West come from your exhibitor kit and assigned schedule; we confirm them against your booth when you book.
Printable SPIE Photonics West budget & deadline sheetTravel to SPIE Photonics West 2027
Getting to SPIE Photonics West 2027: airport and hotels
Fly in
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Stay
SPIE's official hotel block for Photonics West
Find the venue
Moscone Center (North, South and West)
747 Howard St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Travel facts from moscone.com.
SPIE Photonics West by the numbers
SPIE Photonics West year by year
How SPIE Photonics West 2027 compares with other semiconductor and electronics manufacturing shows
The semiconductor and electronics manufacturing shows closest to SPIE Photonics West on the calendar, with the latest size each organizer has published. Each show name opens our semiconductor and electronics manufacturing exhibitor guide for that show.
| Show | Dates | City | Latest published size |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPIE Photonics WestSPIE | January 30–February 4, 2027 | San Francisco, CA | 23,000+ registered attendees · about 1,600 exhibitors (2026) |
| DesignConInforma Markets | February 2–4, 2027 | Santa Clara, CA | 6,400+ attendees · 195 exhibitors (2026) |
| SPIE Advanced Lithography + PatterningSPIE | February 21–25, 2027 | San Jose, CA | – |
| TestConXTestConX | February 28–March 3, 2027 | Mesa, AZ | 67 listed exhibitors (2026) |
| OFCOptica (co-sponsored with IEEE ComSoc and the IEEE Photonics Society) | March 7–11, 2027 | Los Angeles, CA | nearly 18,000 attendees · 706 exhibitors (2026) |
| Chiplet SummitChiplet Summit | March 30–April 1, 2027 | Santa Clara, CA | 1,163 attendees (2026) |
| SEMICON WestSEMI | March 30–April 1, 2027 | Phoenix, AZ | 35,000+ expected attendees (2025) |
| IPC APEX EXPOGlobal Electronics Association (formerly IPC) | April 3–8, 2027 | Anaheim, CA | 416 exhibitors (2026) |
| SPIE Defense + SecuritySPIE | April 18–22, 2027 | Orlando, FL | – |
| PCB EastPrinted Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) | April 27–30, 2027 | Worcester, MA | 25 companies on the 2027 exhibitor list, Oct 2026 |
SPIE Photonics West exhibitor questions
Questions exhibitors ask us before SPIE Photonics West
What are the SPIE Photonics West 2027 dates?
Photonics West 2027 runs January 30 to February 4, 2027. SPIE BiOS Expo is January 30–31 and the SPIE Photonics West Exhibition is February 2–4, per spie.org. The daily opening and closing times for 2027 are not confirmed yet.
Where is Photonics West 2027 held?
Photonics West 2027 is at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, using Moscone North, South and West, per the Moscone Center's event listing. The address is 747 Howard Street, in the South of Market district.
How many attendees are at Photonics West?
SPIE expects about 24,000 researchers, engineers, students and business leaders at Photonics West 2027, with more than 4,500 presentations and more than 1,400 exhibitors across its two exhibitions. In 2026, SPIE reported more than 23,000 registrants.
What is the difference between BiOS Expo and the Photonics West Exhibition?
SPIE BiOS Expo, January 30–31, 2027, covers biomedical optics and biophotonics. The SPIE Photonics West Exhibition, February 2–4, covers lasers, optoelectronics and components, with Quantum West, Vision Tech and AR | VR | MR inside it. Each has its own exhibitor list.
What is new at Photonics West 2027?
The Embedded Vision Summit, a conference and tradeshow on computer vision and physical AI, becomes part of Photonics West in 2027, running February 2–4 with 60+ exhibitors, per the Summit's organizer. It adds a sixth technical application area to the week.
How much does a booth at Photonics West cost?
SPIE publishes 2027 space prices on its exhibitor pricing page. A Purple 10×20 rental costs $7,500 to $15,000 and a custom 20×20 island $50,000 to $120,000, and enclosed laser demos, stamped structures and Moscone union labor move the number.
Can we build a two-story booth at Moscone?
Two-story and covered booths at Moscone need Moscone Fire Marshal approval of plans stamped by a licensed engineer, a smoke detector and fire extinguisher per level, and a ceiling of at least 24 ft. They are not allowed in Moscone West lobbies.
Can we hand-carry our booth into Moscone?
Moscone allows hand-carry of small items through the lobby only if you can carry them by hand in one trip. No carts or dollies are allowed through lobbies or on passenger elevators, and curb parking is not permitted, so anything larger goes through the docks.
Who handles labor at Moscone?
Moscone lists Teamsters Local 2785 for freight and forklifts, I&D Sign and Display Workers Local #510 for exhibit installation and graphics, IATSE Local 16 for rigging and AV, and IBEW Local 6 for booth electrical. Our project manager books labor by those jurisdictions.
What awards and startup programs run at Photonics West?
The SPIE Prism Awards honor photonics products on February 3, 2027, and the SPIE Startup Challenge gives early-stage companies a pitch stage; SPKL took the $5,000 second prize in 2026. Employer Alley and the Quantum West Business Summit also run during the week.
Who organizes Photonics West?
SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, organizes Photonics West and its exhibitions, the SPIE Global Business Forum and the Prism Awards. The Embedded Vision Summit runs within it in 2027 with the Edge AI and Vision Alliance.
Can we reuse a Photonics West booth at other shows?
A modular Photonics West kit fits OFC in Los Angeles in March, CLEO in Long Beach in May and SPIE Optics + Photonics in San Diego in August. We store it between shows and swap graphics for each audience.
Can Purple handle internet at Moscone?
Moscone Facility Services is the exclusive provider of wired and wireless internet and telephone at the Moscone Center, quoted to your needs. We place the order for each demo station so your cameras and analyzers are online at opening.
What hotels are near Moscone Center for Photonics West?
SPIE books an official hotel block for Photonics West, and its 2027 details are not confirmed yet. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the main airport for the Moscone Center in the South of Market district.
Before you sign for SPIE Photonics West
Five questions to ask any exhibit builder for SPIE Photonics West:
- Will the proposal show every SPIE Photonics West fee, including show contractor charges?
- Who builds the SPIE Photonics West booth: your own shop or a subcontractor?
- Will your own project manager be at SPIE Photonics West for install and dismantle?
- What exactly is in the rental, and what does SPIE Photonics West bill?
- Where does the booth go after SPIE Photonics West, and what does storage cost?
Common situations
Already own a booth? We refresh the graphics and repair what is worn, then ship it, install it and store it between shows. You keep the structure you paid for and bring it to SPIE Photonics West.
Exhibiting from outside the US? For SPIE Photonics West, we act as your team on the ground: freight to the advance warehouse, show-service orders, installation and storage, and one project manager who answers your emails in your time zone.
Short on time? A rental with your graphics can be ready for SPIE Photonics West in two to three weeks. On the first call, we tell you what is realistic for SPIE Photonics West.
Get a proposal
Tell us about your SPIE Photonics West booth
What happens next
- Our reply comes within one business day, with questions on your products, goals and footprint.
- Your SPIE Photonics West concept rendering and fixed proposal usually arrive within a week. Every fee on paper upfront, in full, for your SPIE Photonics West booth.
- The build takes 30–45 days; we ship to the advance warehouse and install before the hall opens at the Moscone Center (North, South and West).