Commentary

Nanotechnology: from Fundamental Science to Growing Market   Herb Goronkin   Technology Acceleration Associates   Email:

A good metric for the potential acceptance of a developing technology is the degree to which it can attract investment, both private and government. By this standard, Nanotechnology has demonstrated a growing worldwide attraction for funding as the science has moved from strictly fundamental investigations of materials to development of practical consumer products. The rationale for investing in a nanotechnology start-up has matured over the past several years in step with its evolution from basic materials, at the bottom of the value chain, to higher value applications that are enabled by the materials in functional surfaces, medical diagnostics/theraputics and electronic/photonic device structures. Growing international investment into universities and industrial laboratories, rather unabated by local economic issues, reflects the evolving awareness of the potential of nanotechnology and its potential impact.

Of the myriad current research directions, which have promise to emerge as viable commercial products and which are more likely to remain in the lab as characterization tools or curiosity driven research projects? Nanotechnology is emerging as the only possible solution for many of the world's problems. The improving availability of manipulation and characterization tools is enhancing our ability to create nanostructures of increasing complexity in time frames that promise reasonable cost structures. When we look back ten or fifteen years from now, 2007 will seem to be the time of nano-transition when the science began its first big move from basic science and materials to utilization of nano-functions and nano-systems.

The 2007 Nano and Giga Challenges Forum provides an important opportunity for participants to learn about advances over an extremely wide range of disciplines and to engage presenters in deeper discussions during the ad-hoc sessions. This conference is not only about challenges. It is about potential solutions and paths to reach those goals. Be there and participate!