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Venturing into materials space
POLICY NEWS
Dutch technopolis NEW FACILITIES The Technical University (TU) of Delft is joining forces with local partners (ING Real Estate, Bouwfonds Vastgoedontwikkeling and the Delft Municipality) to create a research and development park, Delft University Technopolis, just south of its campus. It is envisaged that the 86 hectare site will be developed over the next 20 years to house a range of high-tech businesses. About 75 000 m2 are to be sold off to interested parties in the first five-year phase. Delft University Technopolis will eventually provide about 15 000 jobs, according to the announcement. For further information: www.fd.tudelft.nl/technopolis/ index.htm
Future comes FIRST NEW FACILITIES A new technology center – Frontiers in Research: Space and Time, or FIRST – has been unveiled at ETH Zürich. "ETH Zürich is already a leader in the field of nanoscience," says Klaus Ensslin, professor of solid state physics and co-initiator of the center, "and the creation of FIRST-Lab will enable us to remain at the forefront in the future." With input from the departments of physics, mechanical and process engineering, information technology, electrical engineering, and materials science, FIRST-Lab houses highspecification cleanrooms and equipment. The $6.7 million center will provide state-of-the-art infrastructure to allow interdisciplinary research at the cutting-edge of nanoscience and technology to be performed. For further information: www.ethz.ch
The truth behind the hype? NANOTECHNOLOGY
Misunderstood, over-hyped, and a long way from delivering on its full potential? Such is the picture of nanotechnology in a new report from 3i, the venture capital company, the Economist Intelligence Unit, and the UK-based Institute of Nanotechnology. The white paper, Size Matters – Building a Successful Nanotechnology Company, explores the range of interdisciplinary industries involved in nanotechnology via interviews with entrepreneurs, investors, and researchers. The hype could be to the detriment of nanotechnology, says the report, while the truth is both more complex and more prosaic. For example, over a third of the survey respondents said paints, pigments, and coatings will be the most promising areas for nanotechnology in the next five years. There are already around 25 nanotechnology start-ups in the US and UK, with many large companies also investing heavily in research in the area. But there is a long way to go before nanotechnology realizes its full potential. One of the great challenges, the report concludes, is recognizing the commercial potential of the many scientific advances. The US leads the way across all sectors, particularly in research, but the report identifies other contenders. Japan is a global leader in electronic applications, Germany in the chemical arena, and the UK in medical and pharmaceutical devices. It is medical applications that are highlighted as the most promising area in 10-15 years' time. "This in-depth study provides some clarity in what has been a confused subject area," says Ottilia Saxl from the Institute of Nanotechnology, "and clearly demonstrates the opportunity for the technology to flourish." Further information: www.3i.com
Venturing into materials space VENTURE CAPITAL The California-based venture capital fund, NextGen Enabling Technologies, has closed to investors having raised over $55 million. "NextGen has established a modus operandi that is somewhat different from traditional venture capital models," explains Peter Grubstein, General Partner. "The fund has an exclusive focus on emerging opportunities in the materials space, a space that has, in our view, been under-served by the venture capital community," he continues. In addition, the 'Limited Partners' that invest in the fund are mainly major corporations with interests in the materials and chemicals sectors. DuPont and CDP Capital-Technology Ventures are the latest to join the ranks that already include Air Products and Chemicals, BASF, Bayer, Boeing, and Schott Glas. "These companies represent a tremendous asset in expediting the commerciality of science," says Grubstein. To make sense of the science, NextGen has assembled a group of expert Venture Partners – including Alan Heeger, Edward Kramer, and Venkatesh Narayanamurti – who also have commercial experience. The fund already has four companies in its portfolio – Catalytic Solutions, Optiva, Oxonica, and Agile Materials, and is now looking for more to join them.
Swedish network NANOTECHNOLOGY A report commissioned by Sweden's research funding organizations, the Swedish Research Council and VINNOVA, recommends the creation of a Swedish network for nanotechnology. The network should consist of three international-level semiconductor laboratories – MC2 at Chalmers University of Technology in Göteborg, the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) Semiconductor Laboratory in Kista, and the Ångtröm Laboratory at Uppsala University – says the report. The three laboratories would be coordinated into a national resource, the Swedish Nanotechnology Network (SNN), but would continue to focus on their areas of expertise. Kista's focus would be on microelectronics and photonics; Uppsala would serve as an educational facility and multidisciplinary center for nanotechnology, biotechnology, and life sciences; while research at Chalmers would concentrate on high velocity electronics and high-resolution nanolithography. "This network is needed to provide Swedish microelectronic research with a more formidable presence," says Olof Engström, director of MC2.
Production alliance NANOTECHNOLOGY QinetiQ Nanomaterials has formed an alliance with BOC to develop its new nanomaterials production facility. BOC will the supply the facility, which will be located at QinetiQ's Farnborough site, with the gases critical to the production process and a compressed dry air supply scheme. QinetiQ Nanomaterials aims to bring advanced nanomaterials in significant quantity to market and develop new applications for those materials.
October 2002
13
Dutch technopolis NEW FACILITIES The Technical University (TU) of Delft is joining forces with local partners (ING Real Estate, Bouwfonds Vastgoedontwikkeling and the Delft Municipality) to create a research and development park, Delft University Technopolis, just south of its campus. It is envisaged that the 86 hectare site will be developed over the next 20 years to house a range of high-tech businesses. About 75 000 m2 are to be sold off to interested parties in the first five-year phase. Delft University Technopolis will eventually provide about 15 000 jobs, according to the announcement. For further information: www.fd.tudelft.nl/technopolis/ index.htm
Future comes FIRST NEW FACILITIES A new technology center – Frontiers in Research: Space and Time, or FIRST – has been unveiled at ETH Zürich. "ETH Zürich is already a leader in the field of nanoscience," says Klaus Ensslin, professor of solid state physics and co-initiator of the center, "and the creation of FIRST-Lab will enable us to remain at the forefront in the future." With input from the departments of physics, mechanical and process engineering, information technology, electrical engineering, and materials science, FIRST-Lab houses highspecification cleanrooms and equipment. The $6.7 million center will provide state-of-the-art infrastructure to allow interdisciplinary research at the cutting-edge of nanoscience and technology to be performed. For further information: www.ethz.ch
The truth behind the hype? NANOTECHNOLOGY
Misunderstood, over-hyped, and a long way from delivering on its full potential? Such is the picture of nanotechnology in a new report from 3i, the venture capital company, the Economist Intelligence Unit, and the UK-based Institute of Nanotechnology. The white paper, Size Matters – Building a Successful Nanotechnology Company, explores the range of interdisciplinary industries involved in nanotechnology via interviews with entrepreneurs, investors, and researchers. The hype could be to the detriment of nanotechnology, says the report, while the truth is both more complex and more prosaic. For example, over a third of the survey respondents said paints, pigments, and coatings will be the most promising areas for nanotechnology in the next five years. There are already around 25 nanotechnology start-ups in the US and UK, with many large companies also investing heavily in research in the area. But there is a long way to go before nanotechnology realizes its full potential. One of the great challenges, the report concludes, is recognizing the commercial potential of the many scientific advances. The US leads the way across all sectors, particularly in research, but the report identifies other contenders. Japan is a global leader in electronic applications, Germany in the chemical arena, and the UK in medical and pharmaceutical devices. It is medical applications that are highlighted as the most promising area in 10-15 years' time. "This in-depth study provides some clarity in what has been a confused subject area," says Ottilia Saxl from the Institute of Nanotechnology, "and clearly demonstrates the opportunity for the technology to flourish." Further information: www.3i.com
Venturing into materials space VENTURE CAPITAL The California-based venture capital fund, NextGen Enabling Technologies, has closed to investors having raised over $55 million. "NextGen has established a modus operandi that is somewhat different from traditional venture capital models," explains Peter Grubstein, General Partner. "The fund has an exclusive focus on emerging opportunities in the materials space, a space that has, in our view, been under-served by the venture capital community," he continues. In addition, the 'Limited Partners' that invest in the fund are mainly major corporations with interests in the materials and chemicals sectors. DuPont and CDP Capital-Technology Ventures are the latest to join the ranks that already include Air Products and Chemicals, BASF, Bayer, Boeing, and Schott Glas. "These companies represent a tremendous asset in expediting the commerciality of science," says Grubstein. To make sense of the science, NextGen has assembled a group of expert Venture Partners – including Alan Heeger, Edward Kramer, and Venkatesh Narayanamurti – who also have commercial experience. The fund already has four companies in its portfolio – Catalytic Solutions, Optiva, Oxonica, and Agile Materials, and is now looking for more to join them.
Swedish network NANOTECHNOLOGY A report commissioned by Sweden's research funding organizations, the Swedish Research Council and VINNOVA, recommends the creation of a Swedish network for nanotechnology. The network should consist of three international-level semiconductor laboratories – MC2 at Chalmers University of Technology in Göteborg, the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) Semiconductor Laboratory in Kista, and the Ångtröm Laboratory at Uppsala University – says the report. The three laboratories would be coordinated into a national resource, the Swedish Nanotechnology Network (SNN), but would continue to focus on their areas of expertise. Kista's focus would be on microelectronics and photonics; Uppsala would serve as an educational facility and multidisciplinary center for nanotechnology, biotechnology, and life sciences; while research at Chalmers would concentrate on high velocity electronics and high-resolution nanolithography. "This network is needed to provide Swedish microelectronic research with a more formidable presence," says Olof Engström, director of MC2.
Production alliance NANOTECHNOLOGY QinetiQ Nanomaterials has formed an alliance with BOC to develop its new nanomaterials production facility. BOC will the supply the facility, which will be located at QinetiQ's Farnborough site, with the gases critical to the production process and a compressed dry air supply scheme. QinetiQ Nanomaterials aims to bring advanced nanomaterials in significant quantity to market and develop new applications for those materials.
October 2002
13