Small is beautiful, but the opportunities are big

Nanotechnology (NT) is a fast-changing world where the commercial potential is huge.

But how does the UK stay at the forefront of the NT revolution when other countries are also racing to exploit the business and economic benefits?

There seems little doubt that the UK is a global leader in NT.

The influential World Nanotechnology Market 2006 report ranks the UK among the top five in the field.

Benefiting from nanomaterials is open to anybody if you have the right contacts.

Stephen Nash

Chief executive

NanoCentral

The report singles out innovation among UK companies and the quality of research for praise.

Facing up to the challenges

But there is still much to do, believes Stephen Nash, Chief Executive of NanoCentral, which works to bring customers and NT companies together.

He says: “NanoCentral was created last year to encourage UK industry to use nanomaterials.

“We try to fill gaps in the supply chain. But NT is not only for big companies.

“Benefiting from nanomaterials is open to anybody if you have the right contacts.”

Building on experience

It helps, of course, that there are large UK companies working in this field.

QinetiQ, the privatised former government defence research agency, worked on NT when it was still in the realms of science fiction.

Now the company has a leading nanomaterials division, which invests in strategic partnerships and provides seed funding for projects.

Says Dr Paul Reip, chief technology officer at QinetiQ: “The strategic alliances and commercial agreements mean we will remain at the forefront of both commercial deployment and technological advancement.”

Laying the foundations for further growth

Given the economic potential of NT, development agencies are keen to establish clusters of expertise where businesses from around the world can operate side by side.

In north-east England, home of many electronics companies, the Centre of Excellence for Nanotechnology, Micro and Photonic Systems (Cenamps) is using NT in packaging, sensors and semiconductors.

And at a former industrial site near Birmingham, once home to Britain’s biggest car manufacturer, a technology park has emerged from the ashes, with NT companies working on coatings and composites.

Promoting international collaboration

The UK knows it cannot work in isolation.

Last year it hosted the UK Nano Forum, the first event of its kind, with visitors attending from as far afield as South Korea, Japan and the USA.

And in March 2007, the UK and India formed the Nanotechnology Working Group to foster co-operation among the countries’ NT companies and researchers.

Public funding provides support

For Dr Hugh Clare, director of the Micro and Nanotechnology Network, the UK Government has played a key role in promoting the UK as a place for NT to flourish.

However, he believes extra funding is required to fully realise its potential.

“A well-funded and supported nanotechnology sector means more high-quality research, more sustainable jobs and increased wealth creation,” he says.

Fortunately, NT is benefiting from a further £90 million of government funding over six years from 2004, on top of a previous investment of £100 million.