Luxtera Inc., the world leader in CMOS Photonics, announced today it is a finalist for the Communications Technology and Hardware category of the 2007 CONNECT Most Innovative Product (MIP) Awards. Luxtera was chosen as a finalist for its technological breakthrough enabling direct fiber-to-the-chip connectivity which resulted in the production of the world’s first CMOS Photonics product, Blazar. To date, customers had a choice of selecting from prohibitively high-cost, high-performance optics and low-cost, low-performance copper connections. By bringing optical solutions to a monolithic CMOS chip, Luxtera is changing the market, and providing users with a low-cost, high-performance solution. The CONNECT MIP Awards recognize companies that demonstrate revolutionary advancements with cutting-edge high technology. Celebrating its twentieth year, the awards focus on industries and technologies that have significantly contributed to economic growth in the greater San Diego community. Specifically, the awards honor those that showcase vision, hard work and perseverance in transforming ideas and technologies into products. “San Diego has a reputation for developing innovative products, and the MIP Awards strive to recognize the continuous efforts by some of the top companies in the region,” said Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT. “Luxtera is a prime example of a leader in its industry, generating and bringing to market the world’s first CMOS Photonics product.” “We are honored to be named a finalist, and to be mentioned among many other distinguished San Diego companies,” said Marek Tlalka, vice president of marketing for Luxtera. “We overcame many challenges to process light and electrons on a mainstream CMOS die, giving birth to the CMOS Photonics industry and culminating in the delivery of the world’s first CMOS Photonics commercial product. We are very excited about this accomplishment as Luxtera continues to push the envelope, accelerating the industry's adoption of optics for mainstream applications and opening new multi-billion dollar markets.” This year's winners will be announced on December 14, 2007 at the MIP Awards Luncheon at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines. Over 800 of San Diego's top executives, entrepreneurs, service providers and academic professionals are expected to attend. Additional information about the CONNECT MIP Awards can be found at its Web site.