Identifying Science and Business Issues: The Case of Nanotechnology

1. Identifying Science and Business Issues: The Case of Nanotechnology Dr. Danial Wayner, Director General National Institute for Nanotechnology, Edmonton Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences, Ottawa

2. The Case of Nanotechnology Contents • Catching the nanotechnology wave • Managing emerging technologies • Business opportunities in nanotechnology • What government can do

3. The Case of Nanotechnology Nanoresearch vs Nanotechnology Nanoresearch • research at the atomic, molecular or macromolecular levels to: • create and use structures, devices and systems that have novel properties and functions with critical length scales typically under 100 nm • provide fundamental understanding of phenomena and materials at the nanoscale in 1, 2 or 3 dimensions

4. The Case of Nanotechnology Nanoresearch vs Nanotechnology Nanotechnology • useful applications of nanoscience/engineering knowledge and discoveries • integration into existing technologies • new applications based on transformational or revolutionary discoveries

5. The Case of Nanotechnology networks atoms macro/supra molecules systems organism molecules self-organizing Assemblies organ Biological Complexity tissue cell • Integrated Nanosystems • Artificial organs/tissue • Chemical information systems • integrated with electronics • Adaptive materials Complexity (# of nanocomponents) organelle Non-Bio Complexity protein DNA www nucleic/ amino acid electronics/ photonics nano materials bulk materials 0.1 1 10 100 103 106 107 >108 Length Scale (nm)

6. The Case of Nanotechnology Catching the nanotechnology wave • What is the wave? • most of what we hear and see is nanoresearch • there are increasing incremental improvements to traditional technologies (e.g. nanocomposites) • some discoveries suggest discontinuities in product development, manufacturing paradigms • there is a feeling that we are on the verge of something revolutionary but it is still not well defined • Hype versus Reality • the research and investment communities are fueling unreasonable expectations

7. The Case of Nanotechnology

8. The Case of Nanotechnology Catching the nanotechnology wave • How do we know it is coming? • It is underpinned by many years of research • It builds on a succession of high profile reports • It requires significant capital investment in infrastructure and capacity building • it promises economic impact on optimistic timescales

9. The Case of Nanotechnology Catching the nanotechnology wave • Nanotechnology fits this description well: • It is based on many years of basic research in physics, chemistry and biology. And several major areas of nanotechnology still require substantial scientific research before commercial ‘technologies’ will emerge. • there are many parallels with the biotech revolution • Future nanotech research and production facilities will require massive investments • There are an increasing number of startups even though markets are not yet clearly defined

10. The Case of Nanotechnology Catching the nanotechnology wave • Trying to catch the wave is risky! • Anxiety over IP, wealth generation leads to: • Taking a new ‘technology’ out of a university or government lab and into a ‘start-up’ company before major research problems are resolved • products without markets, markets without products • unanticipated problems in scale up, moving from prototypes to production • incomplete understanding of the value chain – low ROI • if not managed well, disillusionment/backlash (dot coms, photonics)

11. The Case of Nanotechnology Managing Technology Risk – Some Science Policy Issues • National S&T priorities • defines strengths, weaknesses, opportunties, threats at a national level • provides a framework within which funding decisions may be taken (critical mass) • creates opportunity for organizational synergies • Technology Clusters • regional clusters of competing and collaborating firms, associated with university and government research facilities to share the risk and the rewards • well developed receptor capacity • spin-offs when necessary but not necessarily spin-offs

12. The Case of Nanotechnology Managing Technology Risk – Some Science Policy Issues • Funding • Provide long term funding of research into nanoscience in both the universities and government labs, e.g., NINT • Provide other incentives to SME’s (contracts vs grants) • Outreach/education • closing the gap between science and business/investors • Nano Environmental, Ethical, Economic, Legal, Social Implications (NE3LS) • public rejection can derail technologies (e.g. GM foods) • developing a NE3LS capacity at this early stage is an opportunity for Canada to establish a competitive edge in a global economy

13. NINT: Building • NRC • ResearchPrograms • Industry Partnership Facility UniversityAlignedNanotechResearchPrograms NRC/UofASharedNanotechFacility The Case of Nanotechnology NINT: Collaborative Model NRC Province+UofA $40M Cross- Appointments Cross- Appointments $20M $20M $40M $12M/a

14. The Case of Nanotechnology Business opportunities in nanotechnology • Short Term (less disruptive) • Nanomaterials • Nanotools • Nano-electromechanical systems • Long Term (more disruptive) • Nanoelectronics/quantum computing • Bionanotechnology/personalized health care • Integrated Nanosystems/Convergent Technologies