|
|
|
Engineering experts
believe nanotechnology
(engineering on the
atomic scale) will have
a more far-reaching
impact than the silicon
integrated chip with
many more applications
than electronics. In
2001, world wide
governments have already
pumped about $1.5
million in research
money. Nanotechnology is
expected to
revolutionize certain
areas, such as tools,
semiconductors,
pharmaceuticals and
materials. Investing in
these key technologies
could generate
significant income in
the next three to five
years, experts say.
http://www.cmp-cientifica.com/
Nanotechnology is the
science of engineering
on the atomic scale. The
U.S. National Science
& Technology
Councils stated
"The total societal
impact of nanotechnology
is expected to be much
greater than that of the
silicon integrated
circuit because it is
applicable in many more
fields than
electronics." While
Mihail Roco, the
nanotechnology adviser
to the White House says,
"Because of
nanotechnology, we'll
see more changes in the
next 30 years than we
saw in all of the last
century,"
In 2001 so far, some
$1.5 billion has been
pumped into
nanotechnology research
by governments world
wide according to TNT
Weekly. Hardly a week
goes by without the
announcement of a new
faculty or institute
dedicated to
nanotechnology.
This current high level
of government investment
in nanotechnology is
already sparking
interest from investors,
and nanotechnology is
forecast to be a far
larger market than the
current IT sector. The
"Financial
Times" has already
published a string of
nanotechnology articles
this year, and has more
planned. The same is
true for "Red
Herring",
"Forbes
Magazine" and a
host of other business
publications.
Spark Inversiones is
organizing an Investing
in Nanotechnology"
conference in
conjunction with CMP
Cientifica and the
Institute of
Nanotechnology, and
there are already
several U.S. Web sites
dedicated to
nanotechnology
investing.
The Market Opportunity
Developments in
nanotechnology will
spawn a variety of
world-changing products,
from the biological
sciences, through
chemistry to classical
and quantum physics.
Applications range from
mundane applications,
such as enabling the
production of
transparent sunscreen
creams, through
revolutionizing
manufacturing processes
to medical technologies
for drug delivery and
life extension. Some of
the applications of
nanotechnology are still
in the distant future,
others will be appearing
in the short term.
Market size estimates
are necessarily
speculative but in the
areas where
nanotechnology and
nanostructured materials
are likely to make the
first impact, the
combined market size for
materials,
semiconductors,
pharmaceuticals and
catalysts is predicted
to be some about $537
billion per year by
2005. This is just the
tip of the iceberg, and
it is still not possible
to attempt to predict
the full long term
industrial consequences
of nanotechnology.
Short Term Market
Segments
Although the most talked
about applications of
nanotechnology are those
involving 'nanobots'
running around the human
body doing repair work,
turning coal into
diamond or terraforming
Mars, no one seriously
expects this to become a
reality within the next
20 or more years.
From an investment point
of view, the key
technologies are those
that will generate
significant income in
the coming three to five
years. These tend to be
the rather 'boring'
applications of
nanotechnology that will
transform existing
industries and lay the
foundation for the
'science fiction'
applications. By
investing in these
specific areas, not only
can short-term gains be
realized, but also a
stake can be built up in
the foundations of
future nanotechnology
related industries,
giving a healthy medium
to long-term investment
outlook.
Materials
Materials technology is
one of the areas with
the high probability of
producing early returns.
Much effort is currently
being directed into the
production of nano sized
crystals and particles
with a variety of
applications as stand
alone products, or
additives which can
modify the properties of
other materials. One of
the first companies in
the field is NanoPhase
technologies whose zinc
oxide and aluminum oxide
powders will allow the
production transparent
sun creams, and vinyl
floors five times more
scratch resistant than
at present.
Many new nano materials
processes are under
development, and there
are expected to be a
variety of early stage
investment opportunities
based on both IPR and
their applications.
Tools
As more effort is put
into nanotechnology
research &
development, on both the
academic and commercial
levels, there will be an
increased demand for the
tools of the trade.
There will be an
increased requirement
for items such as atomic
force microscopes,
microscope tips, and
accessories for current
instruments (both hard
and software), which
will allow their use in
nanotechnology related
research.
Many of these tools are
currently being produced
in limited quantities
for specific purposes in
academic institutions.
Correctly identifying
the tools of most use to
the emerging
nanotechnology industry,
and nurturing the
university spin outs
producing them, is
expected to offer high
potentially high
rewards.
Semiconductors (Nanoelectronics)
The semiconductor
industry can already see
the limits of silicon
technologies. On one
hand, there is a
requirement for
processes that can
extend current device
sized into the range of
tens on nanometres. On
the other, there will be
technologies based on
building electronic
devices from the nano
scale upwards. Add to
this the potential of
devices created from
organic molecules, for
example the memory
devices already patented
by Hewlett Packard, and
a period of disruption
for the semiconductor
industry can be seen in
the three to five year
timescale.
Whether in assisting
existing players to
respond to
nanotechnology, or in
the creation of new
classes of electronic
devices, the
opportunities are
immense for
nanotechnology related
businesses. The EU is
way ahead of the US in
this market segment.
Pharmaceuticals &
Catalysts
As the size of a
particle shrinks, the
ratio of surface area to
volume increases. As
many drug delivery
systems and all
catalysts are surface
related, having the
maximum surface
available can
dramatically increase
the performance of the
system.
The wide variety if new
nano structured
materials will require
an understanding of
their surface
interactions on the
nanoscale. Companies
with access to this
information, or holding
IPR on the tools or
methods required to
obtain this information,
will be highly
attractive to the
existing players in the
pharmaceutical and
industrial process
markets.
The European Dimension
Nanotechnology is an
area in which Europe is
currently as strong as
the U.S. Historically,
this has been the case
in many early stage
technologies. However,
access to early stage
capital is vital if
European companies are
not to be left out.
At present, there is no
one region with any
clear geographical
advantage, and the
nature of nanotechnology,
with its reliance on
human, rather than
natural resources, mean
that it can be located
anywhere. Regions with a
high quality if life,
such as southern Europe,
have the opportunity to
benefit most from these
new industries.
Reprinted with
permission from CMP
Cientifica (http://www.cmp.cientifica.com).
|
|
|
Back
to: articles
home
top
|
