Nanotechnologie - Noch kann man einsteigen :-)

Ach ja, anfang des Jahres wurde eine Unit des Unternehmens verkauft:

Westaim sells Ambeon division for $35 million
Friday January 30, 7:01 am ET


CALGARY, Jan. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - The Westaim Corporation today announced it has sold its Ambeon division and its Neomet Ltd. subsidiary to Sulzer Metco for $35 million.
"While Ambeon is a great business for Westaim, we believe this transaction unlocks the best value for our shareholders," said Barry Heck. "Westaim will use the proceeds to increase our focus, attention and resources on our two high-potential businesses - iFire Technology and NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals."

Westaim Ambeon produces a specialized range of composite and nickel-based thermal spray powders and honeycomb for gas path sealing systems in turbine engines as well as conductive filler material for use in electromagnetic interference products.

Sulzer Metco (www.sulzermetco.com) is a global leader in surface coating solutions and services. The division offers a broad range of thermal spray, thin film and other advanced surface technology equipment, integrated systems and materials, as well as specialized coating and surface enhancement services and manufactured components for selected industries. A global customer support service completes its portfolio. Sulzer Metco provides a global manufacturing, distribution and service network and caters to aerospace, power generation, automotive, as well as other strategic growth industries. Sulzer Metco employs about 1500 professionals worldwide. Net sales for the first half year 2003 totaled CHF 193 million (sales for year 2002: CHF 465 million).

The Westaim Corporation's technology investments include: NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals, which researches, develops and commercializes wound care and pharmaceutical products based on its nanocrystalline silver technology; and iFire Technology, which has developed a revolutionary low-cost flat panel display. Westaim's common shares are listed on Nasdaq under the symbol WEDX and on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol WED.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements, including those concerning opportunities to employ proceeds in Westaim's Nucryst and iFire businesses. These statements are based on current expectations that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and the Company can give no assurance that these expectations are correct. Various factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in such statements, including the risk factors set forth in our Form 40-F as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company disclaims any intention or obligations to revise forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this Cautionary Statement.

SYN X currently markets point-of-care diagnostic tests for myocardial infarction
in Europe and Canada, and infectious diseases and drugs of abuse in Canada.
In addition to the CHF product, SYN X has been developing a pipeline of tests
to be marketed under the brand name Nexus Dx(TM) for insulin resistance and
traumatic brain injury. SYN X also intends to expand the CHF product line and
obtain clearance for additional label indications. In addition, SYN X has
developed diagnostic tests for Alzheimer's disease and stroke, which, as
previously announced, have been licensed to Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Inc. (a
Johnson & Johnson Company) and Genzyme Corporation, respectively.

"The acquisition of SYN X supports Nanogen's long-term strategy to
commercialize advanced diagnostics that enhance the level of medical care for
the detection, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of disease," said Howard
Birndorf, Nanogen chairman and chief executive officer. "Nanogen has an
established position in clinical reference labs, and this acquisition allows us to
expand into a synergistic market, bringing diagnostics closer to the patients and
physicians making critical treatment decisions. Nanogen welcomes the SYN X
team and we look forward to joining efforts to commercialize our combined
pipeline of genetic, infectious disease and point-of-care products," added
Birndorf.

"This strategic union will deliver enhanced value for our shareholders, business
partners and customers. It will provide the necessary resources to
commercialize our rich Nexus Dx(TM) pipeline of products and enhance our
abilities to respond to unmet medical diagnostic needs in areas like congestive
heart failure, insulin resistance, type I diabetes and traumatic brain injury," said
Dr. George Jackowski, SYN X chairman, chief executive officer and chief
scientific officer.

"I believe the financial strength of the combined company positions us well for
long-term leadership in diagnostics," said Rod Wilson, SYN X president and
chief operation officer. "SYN X shareholders will have the opportunity to
participate in the value created from an expanded and highly specialized
diagnostics portfolio, U.S. listing and enhanced liquidity."

Upon closing the transaction, Nanogen intends to operate SYN X as a business
unit with both Rod Wilson and Dr. George Jackowski joining the Nanogen
management team. Nanogen will retain the SYN X brand name and the Toronto
research facility.

SYN X recorded product revenues for the nine months ended September 30,
2003 of CDN $5.8 million and losses of CDN $5.3 million. Nanogen expects the
SYN X business unit to be cash flow positive by the end of 2005.

Under the terms of the combination agreement, Nanogen will issue shares of
Nanogen common stock in a stock-for-stock exchange to holders of SYN X
common shares. The transaction is valued at approximately CDN $16.3 million.
There are approximately 11.2 million SYN X shares and share equivalents
outstanding. At closing, each SYN X common shareholder is expected to
receive approximately CDN $1.45 per SYN X share in Nanogen common stock.
Nanogen will also make available to SYN X a secured line of credit of CDN $2
million to fund working capital needs prior to closing. At closing, Nanogen will
acquire the existing CDN $3.5 million principal amount subordinated secured
debentures of SYN X in exchange for newly issued shares of Nanogen stock.
Outstanding options and warrants to acquire SYN X common shares will convert
into obligations of Nanogen at closing and will represent options and warrants to
acquire shares of Nanogen common stock based on the transaction exchange
ratio and the existing terms of the SYN X stock option plan and warrants.

The transaction is subject to the approval of holders of SYN X common shares
and debentures, court approval and other customary closing conditions. The
acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2004. A joint special
meeting of holders of SYN X common shares and debentures is expected to be
held within 60 days. Further information will be contained in the management
information circular that is expected to be mailed to shareholders and debenture
holders in early March.

The transaction has the unanimous approval of the SYN X board of directors. In
addition, Nanogen has entered into support agreements with all officers and
directors and certain shareholders of SYN X common shares and with certain
holders of SYN X debentures representing approximately 77% of the
outstanding principal amount of SYN X debentures pursuant to which such
security holders have agreed to vote in favor of the transaction.

Seven Hills Partners LLC acted as the financial advisor to Nanogen in this
transaction. The Seidler Companies and Orenda Corporate Finance Ltd. acted
as financial advisors to SYN X. First Associates Investments Inc. has rendered
an opinion to the SYN X Board that the aggregate consideration payable
pursuant to the arrangement is fair to SYN X shareholders.

A document addressing "Frequently Asked Questions" regarding this
agreement can be found on Nanogen's website at www.nanogen.com under
"Press Releases."



Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense

increase focus on our two high-potential technology divisions, iFire Technology
and NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals," said Barry M. Heck, President & CEO of Westaim.
"Last year we saw NUCRYST enter its first human trials for a new atopic
dermatitis drug and iFire successfully scale its proprietary flat panel display
to 34 inches in size."

Review of Operations:

iFire Technology made important advancements with both technology progress and
partner collaborations in 2003. Early in the year, iFire added Dai Nippon
Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) as a technology collaboration partner, and in 2004,
this relationship has expanded to include pilot production of 34-inch iFire (TM)
display modules to help iFire prove its low-cost manufacturing model. iFire's
other major technology collaboration partner, Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., has also
contributed to the technical progress of iFire's technology.

In early 2003, iFire progressed from its traditional triple-patterned red, green
and blue phosphors to the Color-by-Blue(TM) process where a single blue phosphor
and color conversion materials are used. This created improvements in the
display's performance and is projected to reduce future capital and production
costs by approximately 15 per cent. By the end of the year, iFire successfully
scaled its technology from 17 inches in size to 34 inches, the anticipated size
of its initial product. Collaborative work with its partners DNP and Sanyo
Electric, along with the new Color-by-Blue(TM) method made this accomplishment
happen faster than anticipated.

NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals entered an important new chapter as a pharmaceutical
company in 2003 when it began Phase 2 human clinical trials for its first drug
candidate, (NPI 32101) for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, or eczema, and
other skin conditions. The company believes that its nanocrystalline technology
with dual anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties addresses both the
inflammation associated with atopic dermatitis and the secondary infections that
often accompany the disease.

NUCRYST's profitable wound care division continued to grow in 2003 with revenue
of $16.2 million, compared to $8.3 million in 2002. The results for 2003 include
a US$3.0 million milestone payment from NUCRYST's wound care partner Smith &
Nephew plc for achievement of additional regulatory approvals in Europe.

Strategic Review:

In 2003 the Board completed a thorough, strategic review of the company and its
businesses. As disclosed in last year's information circular, a Strategic Review
Committee was formed to help facilitate this process. As part of this review,
the Board and the Strategic Review Committee worked with independent advisors,
including GMP Securities Ltd., who also acted as the exclusive financial advisor
for the sale of Ambeon, and CIBC World Markets. The review reaffirmed Westaim's
continued focus and commitment to iFire and NUCRYST. In its final report to the
Board of Directors of Westaim, the Strategic Review Committee reached a number
of recommendations and conclusions, which included:



      iFire Technology - The Committee believes that iFire has been, and

      continues to be, a significant opportunity for Westaim and that the

      continued support of iFire is justified. Although there are

      technology, manufacturing and marketing risks for the successful

      development by iFire of a commercial product, the magnitude of the

      potential rewards justifies Westaim's continued support.


      NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals - The Committee believes that the NUCRYST

      wound care business is a valuable asset and supports continuing to

      pursue further wound care opportunities with Smith & Nephew. Although

      monetizing the royalty stream of the wound care business is possible,

      the Committee concluded the value of this business could be

      substantially enhanced as the ability to achieve projected sales

      targets is proven. The Committee affirmed that NUCRYST should continue

      to fund its current Phase 2 human efficacy trials for atopic

      dermatitis. With respect to all other indications, the Committee

      recommends that NUCRYST's management continue to assess and develop

      its pharmaceutical strategy.

As disclosed in last year's information circular, the Board of Directors added
two new members who were nominated by some of the company's large institutional
shareholders. These new Board Members were Michael B.C. Davies and G. Wesley
Voorheis, both of whom were members of the Strategic Review Committee. Now that
the strategic review is complete, Mr. Davies and Mr. Voorheis have retired from
the Board. Westaim thanks them for their contribution. As recommended by the
Strategic Review Committee, Westaim's Board will commence a search for two new
independent Board members.

Shareholder Rights Plan:

Westaim also announced today that its Board of Directors has approved the
renewal of a shareholder rights plan designed to ensure the fair treatment of
shareholders in the event of a take-over offer for the common shares of Westaim.
This action has been taken as part of the Board's fiduciary responsibility to
shareholders and is not in response to any specific effort to acquire control of
the company. The plan is subject to regulatory approval, and must be ratified at
Westaim's next annual meeting of shareholders. Full details of the plan will be
included in the proxy circular that will be sent to all shareholders prior to
the annual meeting.

The plan will provide Westaim's Board of Directors and shareholders more time to
evaluate any unsolicited take-over bid and, if appropriate, to seek out other
alternatives to maximize shareholder value. The plan will be in effect for six
years, but must be reconfirmed by shareholders after a three- year period.

Under the plan, one right is issued and attaches to each outstanding common
share at no cost. Rights issued under the plan become exercisable only when a
person, including certain related persons, acquires or announces their intention
to acquire 20 per cent or more of Westaim's outstanding common shares without
complying with the "permitted bid" provisions of the plan or without the
approval of Westaim's Board. Should such an acquisition occur, each right, if
exercised, would entitle the holder, other than the acquiring person and persons
related to it, to purchase Westaim's common shares at a price equal to half
their current market value.

A "permitted bid" or offer for Westaim's common shares must be made to all
shareholders. The offer must remain open for at least 60 days and must be
accepted by a minimum of 50 per cent of the shares not already held by the
bidder. If this occurs, the bidder may take up and pay for tendered shares, but
must extend the offer for another 10 days. This will allow shareholders
sufficient time to consider the bid and any other available options. It also
gives Westaim's Board of Directors time to consider alternatives and make
recommendations to shareholders. Westaim's plan is similar to plans adopted by a
number of other Canadian companies.

About Westaim:

The Westaim Corporation's technology investments include: NUCRYST
Pharmaceuticals, which researches, develops and commercializes wound care and
pharmaceutical products based on its nanocrystalline silver technology; and
iFire Technology, which has developed a revolutionary low-cost flat panel
display. Westaim's common shares are listed on Nasdaq under the symbol WEDX and
on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol WED.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements, including but not
limited to those concerning technology progress, partner collaborations, pilot
production of display modules, anticipated size of initial display products,
product development, technology, manufacturing and marketing risks, potential
rewards of product development, and pharmaceutical strategy. These statements
are based on current expectations that are subject to risks and uncertainties,
and the Company can give no assurance that these expectations are correct.
Various factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those
projected in such statements, including the risk factors set forth in our Form
40-F as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company
disclaims any intention or obligations to revise forward-looking statements
whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. All
forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this
Cautionary Statement.



   

   THE WESTAIM CORPORATION

   Financial Highlights

   (unaudited)

   (thousands of dollars except per share data)


   --------------------------------------------------

                                                Twelve Months Twelve Months

                    Quarter Ended Quarter Ended         Ended         Ended

   Statement of      December 31,  December 31,  December 31,  December 31,

    Operations               2003          2002          2003          2002

   --------------------------------------------------


   Revenue              $   3,594     $   3,564     $  17,285     $  12,627

   Loss from continuing

    operations            (16,753)       (8,966)      (36,858)      (39,110)

   Net loss               (17,673)       (9,445)      (34,498)      (49,762)

   Loss per common share

    - basic & diluted

     Continuing

      operations            (0.21)        (0.11)        (0.47)        (0.50)

     Net loss               (0.23)        (0.12)        (0.44)        (0.64)

   Weighted average

    number of

    outstanding common

    shares (thousands)     78,073        78,033        78,045        77,924


   --------------------------------------------------


                                                Twelve Months Twelve Months

                    Quarter Ended Quarter Ended         Ended         Ended

                     December 31,  December 31,  December 31,  December 31,

                             2003          2002          2003          2002

   --------------------------------------------------

   Revenue

     Nucryst

      Pharmaceuticals   $   3,457     $   2,496     $  16,212     $   8,344

     iFire Technology           -         1,067           911         4,270

     Other                    137             1           162            13

   --------------------------------------------------

   Continuing

    operations          $   3,594     $   3,564     $  17,285     $  12,627

   --------------------------------------------------

   --------------------------------------------------

   Divisional Loss

     Nucryst

      Pharmaceuticals      (2,302)    $  (1,897)    $  (1,948)    $ (6,985)

     iFire Technology      (6,137)       (4,544)      (19,861)     (16,915)

     Other                   (215)         (218)       (1,284)        (841)

   --------------------------------------------------

   Continuing

    operations          $  (8,654)    $  (6,659)   $  (23,093)   $ (24,741)

   --------------------------------------------------

   --------------------------------------------------


   Balance Sheet                      December 31, 2003   December 31, 2002

   --------------------------------------------------

   Cash and short-term investments            $  68,137           $ 101,302

   Current assets                               107,767             145,167

   Other assets                                  37,139              39,016

   Current liabilities                           13,524              17,655

   Shareholders' equity                         123,818             158,214

   

   %SEDAR: 00002793E

VIEW ADDITIONAL COMPANY-SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
www.newswire.ca/en/releases/orgDisplay.cgi?okey=67476



CONTACT:          For further information: David Wills, Investor Relations,

                 (416) 504-8464, info(at)westaim.com, www.westaim.com;

                 To request a free copy of this organization's annual report, please go to

                 www.newswire.ca and click on reports(at)cnw


News release via Canada NewsWire, Calgary 403-269-7605  


Copyright (C) 2004 CNW, All rights reserved

Our European readers might have an easier time getting their hands on Oberammergau, Germany-based Franz Ziener GmbH & Co.'s newest ski jackets with Nano-Tex enhancements. Nanotechnology makes the two-layer laminate windproof, waterproof, breathable and grime resistant--great for those bums who don't get around to washing their jackets until after the season. The result: a jacket with a long, functional life superior to coated jackets and competitive with Gore-Tex products. Don't be surprised to see these über-jackets popping up on haute couture mountains like Aspen, Jackson Hole and Sun Valley.

For more information: http://www.ziener.de

3) Wrinkle-Resistant, Stain-Repellent Threads
          §
Eddie Bauer's Nano-Care comfort-waist corduroy pants and Kathmandu Tobin shirt.

For the spillers, spotters and stainers among us (you know who you are). Featured in our June 2002 "Nano Product Guide," Nano-Care fabric, made by Emeryville, Calif.-based Nano-Tex, is too exciting not to mention again. Nano-Tex researchers attached molecular structures to cotton fibers, forming a barrier that causes liquids and stains to bead up on the surface and prevent absorption. Treated fabrics are not only wrinkle-proof but repel stains from perennial offenders like soda, coffee, wine, mayonnaise and syrup. Similar to the popular waterproof coating Gore-Tex, Nano-Care is featured today in khaki, chino and corduroy pants for men and women made by Eddie Bauer, in Lee Jeans Performance Khaki by VFC/Lee (nyse: VFC - news - people ), in Old Navy Super-Khakis and in men's twill pants made for Bass Pro Shops. Even Tiger Woods, through his Nike (nyse: NKE - news - people ) clothing line, has chosen Nano-Care for his khaki golf pants.

For more information: http://www.nano-tex.com/products/where.htm

What do Hewlett-Packard, IBM, General Electric, DuPont and Intel have in common? All are investing in nanotechnology. To find out which nanotech stocks the Forbes/Wolfe Nanotech Report is buying now, click here.
4) Deep-Penetrating Skin Cream
Compared to conventional skin creams that sit on top of your skin, nanotechnology-enhanced cosmetic treatments penetrate deep beneath the surface and affect the base molecular layer. Take Plenitude Revitalift antiwrinkle cream by L'Oréal Paris, which introduced its first nanotechnology product in 1998. Plenitude uses a patented 200-nanometer nanotechnology process to incorporate vitamin A inside a polymer "capsule." The capsule acts like a sponge, soaking up and holding the cream inside until the outer shell dissolves under your skin. L'Oréal reports that of women surveyed who used the Revitalift technology, 80% reported antiwrinkle effectiveness, and 75% said the product was effective in firming skin.

For more information: http://www.lorealparis.co.uk/

5) World's First OLED Digital Camera
Digital cameras just got better, thanks to nanotech. As we first mentioned in March's "Nanodisplays: DuPont Takes On Kodak," organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are much brighter than the liquid crystals (LCDs) used in many of today's flat-screen TVs and computer monitors. They boast a wider viewing angle than LCDs, which must be viewed head-on. OLEDs don't require backlighting as LCDs do, reducing power consumption. The world's first digital camera with an OLED display, the 3.1-megapixel EasyShare LS633 zoom digital camera by Kodak (nyse: EK - news - people ), has a 2.2-inch screen that is up to 107% larger than the industry average of 1.5 inches.

For more information: http://www.kodak.com/eknec/...th=31&pq-locale=en_US&_requestid=309766

6) Nanotech DVD and Book Collection
No longer just the province of visionaries and geeks, nanotechnology is steadily making its way into our popular culture. Next time you reach for a book or DVD, try one of these and see if you can find the references from the nanosphere.



Don't miss the Nanotech Revolution! Forbes/Wolfe's Weekly Nanotech Insider will keep you up to date on the latest developments in this exciting new science. Sign up today. It's free.
7) Performance Sunglasses
          §
Ambush model from Smith's Techlite line.

If your next pair of shades carries the Smith brand, you may be investing in nanotechnology. Certain Smith models incorporate technology from Valley View, Ohio-based Nanofilm, which uses nanotechnology to produce protective and antireflective ultrathin polymer coatings for eyewear. Founded in 1985 as a spinoff of research on the self-assembly of polymers at Case Western Reserve University, Nanofilm has grown to become one of the largest producers of protective glass coatings in the U.S. To give the glasses antireflection and scratch-resistance functionality, Nanofilm deposits coating layers of 150 nanometers and 20 microns thick, respectively. Then it uses chemical self-assembly to form a polymer coating, three to ten nanometers thin, on the outer layer of the antireflective lenses. This not only seals and repels grime and skin oils but also makes the lenses more responsive.

For more information: http://www.smithsport.com; http://www.nanofilm.cc

8) Nanocrystalline Sunscreen
Whether you're heading to the islands or the slopes this winter, you may want to slather on a bottle of NuCelle SunSense SPF 30 sunscreen. Its main ingredient is Z-COTE, a substance made with nanotechnology by BASF (nyse: BF - news - people ). "Nano-dispersed zinc oxide is the basis of Z-COTE," says BASF's Dieter Distler. The common SPF (sun protection factor) rating system only rates protection against UVB rays. Zinc oxide provides broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays, but its characteristic white pasty goop often leaves sunbathers and lifeguards feeling like they're wearing clown makeup. The nanotechnology in Z-Cote produces a high-purity nanocrystalline zinc oxide, which allows the sunscreen to go on clear. And, to boot, the inorganic Z-COTE can't be absorbed by the skin and won't cause allergic reactions.

For more information: http://www.nucelle.com/

9 & 10) High-Tech Tennis Rackets And Balls
Each year tennis racket manufacturers, from Wilson and Prince to Head and Yonex, vie to introduce the most technologically advanced and highly engineered products. In the 1970s, it was aluminum; the 1980s, graphite; the 1990s, titanium. Now comes nanotechnology. The 127-year-old French manufacturer Babolat introduced the VS Nanotube Power racket in 2002, retailing for $250. The Nanotube Power and VS Nanotube Drive lightweight, oversized-head models are made out of high modulus graphite with carbon nanotubes supplied by France's Nanoledge. One hundred times stronger than steel, yet one-sixth the weight, carbon nanotubes increase the rigidity of the stabilizers on each side of the racket's sweet spot. Babolat credits this with increasing torsion more than 50%--and flex resistance upwards of 20%. The result? VS Nanotube rackets are five times more rigid than current carbon rackets and pack significantly more power.

But what good is a nanotech racket without nanotech tennis balls? Regular balls left out of the can become flat and unplayable after two weeks or less. But Wilson Double Core tennis balls, with Hillsborough, N.J.-based InMat's Air D-Fense nanocomposite product inside, remain playable for four weeks. Sure, they cost about $1.50 more per can, but you double the life of the balls for half the incremental cost of a new can of ordinary tennis balls. InMat founder and President Harris Goldberg says that natural rubber--which is required to obtain the correct bounce--is very permeable. So InMat makes it harder for the air to escape by coating the ball's inner core with 20 microns thick of layered sheets of clay polymer nanocomposites--each 1 nanometer thin. There is no change in bounce or weight, and the player can't tell the difference. Wilson's Double-Core Balls are now the official balls of the Davis Cup.



Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense

"Für die Bundesregierung hat diese wichtige Zukunftstechnologie bereits heute Vorrang. Allein die im Rahmen der Projektförderung des Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung jährlich bereitgestellten Fördermittel für Nanotechnologie von rund 100 Millionen Euro konnten seit 1998 fast vervierfacht werden. Wir dürfen uns auf unseren Lorbeeren aber nicht ausruhen. Ziel ist es, für den Haushalt 2005 der Nanotechnologie eine deutliche Priorität zu geben", betont die Bundesforschungsministerin.

Gefördert werden etwa eine in der Region Dresden entstehende moderne Elektronik-Produktionsstätte ("NanoFab"), effiziente Licht- bzw. Strahlquellen auf Halbleiterbasis ("Nanolux"), Nanomaterialien und Nanobiologie für den Gesundheitsbereich ("NanoForLife"), die Förderung kleinerer und mittlerer Unternehmen im Nanotech-Bereich ("NanoChance") sowie die Entwicklung sichererer und umweltfreundlicher Autos ("NanoMobil"). Für Letzteres sollen innerhalb von vier Jahren insgesamt 32,5 Millionen Euro bereitgestellt werden.

Abschließend erklärte die Bundesforschungsministerin auf der Pressekonferenz in Berlin: "Für viele in Deutschland wichtige Industriebranchen wie Automobilbau, Informationstechnik, Chemie, Pharma und Optik hängt die zukünftige Wettbewerbsfähigkeit ihrer Produkte auch von der Erschließung der Nanotechnologie ab. Konkurrenzfähigkeit wird in zunehmendem Maße durch die Faktoren Technologie und Innovation bestimmt, so dass neue Technologietrends wie die Nanotechnologie einen deutlichen Einfluss auf die Arbeitsmärkte des 21. Jahrhunderts erwarten lassen, die zur Sicherung des Wohlstands am Standort Deutschland genutzt werden müssen".

Das Bundesforschungsministerium stellt nähere Informationen zur Innovationsinitiative Nanotechnologie unter www.nanonet.de zur Verfügung.


Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense

Researchers in chemistry, physics and biology are already touting progress on projects that could someday lead to highly affordable solar energy or microscopic robots that attack bacteria and cancer cells.

But a closer look at this week's conference also revealed why some are still skeptical -- at least in the short run.

The 90 companies that bought booths at the conference trade show was a threefold increase in just three years. But many of the companies make the instruments that nanotechnology labs use to do other things -- "pick and shovels for the miners in the gold rush" in the words of one venture capitalist.

Many attention-getting companies in the field are still laying the groundwork for the future.

Richardson, Texas-based Zyvex is researching ways to build materials from single molecules, but for now makes instruments and materials. Inmat, of Hillsborough, N.J., hopes its nanocomposite coating will eventually be used in tires and chemical defense products, but for now it's being used to add bounce to Wilson tennis balls.

Another big challenge: manufacturing what the researchers invent.

"It's one thing to be able to do this in a lab where you're just pushing molecules around," said Donald Bansleben, a program manager with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which will be partly responsible for handing out federal research grants. Take, for example, carbon nanotubes. These tiny hexagons have unusual properties and could someday be used in microscopic electronic devices, but making them on a large scale may be a headache as far into the future as can be imagined.

One difficulty is that molecules act strangely at such small scales, which makes them potentially useful but also difficult to manipulate. And the scale is so small that nano-devices will likely have to be made by the billions or trillions to be useful. Normal manufacturing methods will be useless. Nanosystems will have to build themselves.

"You have to use things like replication or evolution or self-assembly or self-repair," said Warren Packard, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist who has invested in the field. "We need to figure out how to grow systems versus build systems."

Another big topic this week was the anticipated flood of federal money. Universities are eager to be sure, but several noted that it will mean the United States is only now pulling even with Japan in supporting nanotechnology.

On Wednesday, the California Institute of Technology announced it had received a $7.5 million grant to start a nanoscience center.

Proponents insist that, overall, nanotechnology is too broad, too important and too obviously useful to fail. Commercially, it will be better insured by real products and intellectual property than were previous technology fads.

But they know there will be bumps.

"I'm a near-term optimist and a long-term optimist but a mid-term pessimist," said Lynn Foster, who advises companies in the field. "It's not the next big thing. It's several of the next things after the next big thing."


Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense

Success that seems likely to be continued. Included in its current orchard are Nantero, recently nominated by Scientific American as the 2004 winner as the business leader in the nanotechnology category, and Molecular Imprints, winner of the Small Times "2004: Best of Small Tech" award.

Nantero has recently partnered with LSI Logic (NYSE: LSI) to develop the use of carbon nanotubes in semiconductor processes, notably NRAM (next-generation memory chips). Molecular Imprints has also received venture capital from Motorola Ventures, the VC arm of Motorola (NYSE: MOT), with which Molecular has a strong working relationship.

Valuing Harris is not an easy task, as the metrics of sales and profits are not relevant to a publicly traded VC company. Rather, it is judged on net asset value (NAV), which has risen from $2.11 per share to $4.44 per share in the past 12 months. The actual share price has risen from $8 to $14. The disparity is explained by its increase in share dilution due to a share offering in 2004. That raised $36 million for future investments and allows Harris to be seen as a bigger player in becoming first-round major investors rather than being grouped with the minor players in the second round.

All in all, Harris has a nice fruit farm being developed. We see more plums on the trees than lemons.

Carl Wherrett owns Harris and prefers red plums over yellow ones. John Yelovich also owns Harris and likes lemon only in his tea. You can reach them both by email. The Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Do you have high hopes for the nanotechnology sector? Share your views with Carl (TMFBreakerCarl) and John (TMFBreakerJohn) in the Nanotechnology discussion board.


Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense