Archive for November, 2012

NanoBusiness Interview – Dr. Alan Rae, CEO, NanoMaterials Innovation Center

Posted on November 21st, 2012 in Uncategorized | No Comments »

In this month’s interview, we talk with Dr. Alan Rae, Chief Executive Officer of the NanoMaterials Innovation Center in Alfred, NY and Executive Director of Alfred Technology Resources Inc., operating business accelerators in Alfred, NY and Painted Post, NY.

I have known Dr. Alan Rae for over 10 years.  He is one of the most fascinating scientists I have met in my career.

Dr. Rae has worked in the electronics, ceramics, nanotechnology and “clean tech” industries for over 25 years in the UK and USA, managing global businesses and technology development at start-up, operating company and corporate levels.

Dr. Rae is active in industry associations and standards work with the NanoBusiness Commercialization Association, iNEMI, ISO, SMTA, IMAPS, IPC, and JISSO. He has held Director and VP positions with 4 new companies and has consulted for two Fortune 100 companies in alternative energy. He is an Entrepreneur in Residence with NYSERDA and a member of the NYSERDA-UB Directed Assistance Committee for Directed Energy. He is a member of the National Academies Triennial Review Committee for the National Nanotechnology Initiative.

In our interview, we discuss Dr. Rae’s activities at the NanoMaterials Innovation Center, his work with the NNI and iNEMI, and the outlook for solar technology. We hope you enjoy the interview.

– Steve Waite, Director of Research and Strategy

SW:  It is a pleasure to speak with you today, Alan. We thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to us. Give us a little background on the NanoMaterials Innovation Center (NMIC).

AR:  Stepping back a little, in the 1990’s the Ceramic Corridor Innovation Centers were set up  by Alfred Technology Resources Inc. (ATRI), a not-for-profit founded by Alfred University, Clarkson University and Corning Inc. as incubators for advanced materials.  These business accelerators have been highly successful, running at or near 100% occupancy and returning $900M on New York State’s initial $10M investment.  Three years ago ATRI identified that researchers were having difficulty scaling nanomaterials and other advanced materials from bench-top to the intermediate scale and set up a unique user facility, The NanoMaterials Innovation Center (NMIC), in Alfred, NY.

The NMIC facility contains many of the tools needed for advanced powder synthesis (plasma, sonochemical, combustion synthesis, carbon nanotube synthesis), fabrication (freeze drying, spray drying, dry pressing, isostatic pressing, tape casting, printing, lamination, dicing) and thermal processing (microwave; active and passive, single mode and multimode, air, vacuum and controlled atmosphere, batch and continuous).  Products processed range from metal alloys to LED materials, fuel cell materials and a range of taggant phosphors. NMIC works in very close partnership with Alfred University which has many complementary skills and equipment. Clients have included major corporations as well as many start-up companies. NMIC does both contract processing and research programs, has submitted proposals jointly with Alfred, Buffalo, Cornell and Clarkson Universities and is working closely with The NSF Center for High-Rate Nanomanufacturing in New England.

SW:  Tell us more about the Rare Earth initiative at the NMIC.

AR:  Through our relationship with iNEMI we became aware of the importance of rare earths in electronics and renewable energy and were already talking to the supply chain members when one of our tenants approached us with a new technology they had developed to extract rare earths easily and economically from industrial wastes.  We found this process also worked on pre and post-consumer electronic wastes and are founding a company called “ReNew” – which stands for Rare Earths, Not Electronic Waste, which has received initial funding and is raising additional capital to set up operations in a site we have identified in Steuben County near Corning, NY.  We are being encouraged by the support of a major electronics recycler, a disk drive manufacturer, a ceramic capacitor maker and a Fortune 500 manufacturer of enterprise systems.

SW:  That sounds interesting. Tell us more about the nano cement technology you are developing and how it is coming along.

AR:  At NanoDynamics, we developed a cement additive that could double the strength of Portland cement and could reduce its setting time from 28 to 5 days.  At TPF Enterprises, working closely with Purdue University, InVentures Group and the Army Corps of Engineers, we scaled production of a number of processes to achieve this type of additive to tonnage levels.  TPF is now a subsidiary of ATRI. We are working closely with InVentures Group to commercialize some of these under the “AdvanCement” name. As with ReNew, AdvanCement has received initial funding and is raising additional capital to set up operations in a site we have identified in Steuben County near Corning, NY.

SW:  How do you see the NMIC evolving in the years ahead under your leadership?

AR:  We’re working to get the word out about this facility nationally as well as locally and as a first step we have engaged Creyr Innovation to enhance our service to New England clients.  As technologies evolve we plan to expand the facilities to provide a more complete service and to develop spin-offs from our research programs which will help fund NMIC and ATRI’s growth and continue to stimulate economic activity in the Southern Tier of New York State.

SW:  Sounds good. We understand you have been working with the NNI recently. Please tell us tell us about your involvement with the NNI.

AR:  I am privileged to be a member of the Triennial Review of NNI by the National Academies.  I cannot talk about the conclusions as the final report is not published, but the Interim Report is available on the National Academies web site (http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13517).  From a personal point of view this has been a great opportunity to work with some very smart people and a very professional organization meeting representatives of the NNI and its 26 member agencies and reviewing this significant initiative.  Did you know that President Lincoln formed the National Academy of Sciences in 1863 to “investigate, examine, experiment, and report upon any subject of science”?

SW:  No, we did not know that. Very interesting!  You have been involved with iNEMI for the past decade. What is your role with iNEMI and when is the new roadmap for the consumer electronics segment due out?

AR:  Every two years iNEMI (www.iNEMI.org) produces a Technology Roadmap that explores technology needs for the electronics industry based on technology emulators not just for consumer electronics but for enterprise systems, automotive and other sectors.  This roadmap identifies key technology and market development trends and drills down to a high level of detail. iNEMI coordinates with ITRS (semiconductors) and IPC (board assembly) so that the three roadmaps are consistent.  The Research Committee, where I am co-chair, works with the chapter chairs and the Technical committee to identify the longer-term “gaps and showstoppers” that may impede progress.  The committee reviews these and presents them in a format that can be used to encourage corporate research, government laboratories and university research. As the roadmap completes over the next month, the Research Committee starts its work.  A summary of the previous roadmap’s Research Priorities is available at http://thor.inemi.org/webdownload/Pres/EGG2012/Research.pdf.

SW:  What types of nano-enabled electronics applications are we likely to see in the near future?

AR:  Apart from semiconductors, which have been in the nano domain for many years, we see a number of nano and near-nano products already on the market including oleophobic stencil coatings (LaserJob), corrosion-resistant board surfaces (Semblant), water-repellant coatings for consumer electronics and solar cell materials (HzO, C-Voltaics) as well as conductive and interconnect systems (iimak, Novacentrix, Cookson Electronics).

SW:  What other nano-enabled electronics applications should we be on the lookout for in the years ahead?

AR:  Check out the Center for High Rate Nanomanufacturing www.nano.neu.edu/ to see a glimpse into the future of printed electronics through electrophoresis, templating, imprint and other practical processes.  We will be able to integrate sensors and processing into flexible circuits through roll to roll processing at last!

SW:  You have been working with photo-voltaic technology over the past five years. What are we seeing today and what’s the outlook for solar, and specifically, nano-enabled solar technology?

AR:  Once solar gets past the current train wreck – oversupply, uncertainty on subsidies, anti-dumping action, bankrupt and zombie companies worldwide with 180 of 300 recently predicted to fail by GTM – the move towards renewable energies will continue.  Nano and thin film solar are currently suffering due to the high overcapacity and low price of competing silicon cells but eventually they will win out as they are more materials-efficient.  Less materials means lower cost when volumes are comparable. Consolidation is a normal part of industry development – we’ve see it in every major industry from semiconductors to automobiles to beer!

In the U.S., we have an energy breathing space due to the new-found abundance of low-cost natural gas that can be used for lower-carbon fuel for heating, electricity generation and transportation.  Ironically gas is also needed to balance renewable fluctuations – when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow – and only gas generators can crank up output at short notice.  Another interesting fact is that recent statistics show that even in the U.S., renewables are not a niche but are a significant contributor to the jobs market and to power generation – the most recent federal statistics show solar at 0.3%, wind at 4.4% and hydro at 8.5%.  All have room for expansion – but in order to develop a sustainable industry we have to stop renewable energy being a political pawn with short term boom and bust economics worldwide.  Sometimes it’s good to be a high-profile industry but sometimes it isn’t!

SW:  Thanks again for your time, Alan. It was a pleasure speaking with you. We wish you all the best in the future.

I would like to wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Regards,

Vincent Caprio “Serving the Nanotechnology Community for Over a Decade”
Executive Director
NanoBusiness Commercialization Association
203-733-1949
vincent@nanobca.org
www.nanobca.org
www.vincentcaprio.org

Will Any Disaster Wake America up to its Water Problem?

Posted on November 21st, 2012 in Uncategorized | No Comments »

The subject of a drought may surprise you since we just experienced hurricane Sandy. With more than 63% of the U.S. classified as experiencing drought in July 2012, water, or a lack thereof, has been prominent in the news and in the lives of everyday Americans. While the lack of rain and soaring temperatures (yes, July was also the hottest month ever on record in the United States) are a product of meteorological phenomena and can’t be controlled by today’s technology, the chronic state of disrepair of our outdated water infrastructure – well chronicled in this blog space – only serves to exacerbate our country’s water shortage at a time when American farmers have watched crops wither and die, and cattle and other livestock ranchers have had to sell off or liquidate their herds due to a lack of grazing land and skyrocketing feed prices.

American consumers are already feeling the effect of the drought at the grocery store, and surprising to some, at the gas pump – and the high prices could persist into the winter of 2013 as the grain supply shortage ripples its way through the economy. The drought has devastated the corn harvest in the U.S. (as of August, the USDA expected a corn crop that was at least 23% smaller than its already pessimistic outlook from earlier in 2012), leading to all-time high corn futures prices on the commodity markets and higher prices at the grocery store, of both corn and corn-fed animal products (steak, chicken, milk, eggs, bacon, etc). But it’s not just food that suffers from a lack of water. Non-profit group, Sustainable America, does a stellar job of pointing out the interplay of corn and gasoline prices in America – a problem caused in part by the high ethanol content in our gasoline (10-15% of each gallon of gasoline is comprised of ethanol). With 45% of the nation’s corn crop now going to ethanol production, corn scarcity leads to ethanol scarcity, which refiners pass down to consumers at the pump. Anyone who drives to work can see this at play, right now, at their local gas station.

Yet ethanol isn’t the only gasoline feedstock that is threatened by the drought. The recent surge in domestic oil production (up 3.5% year over year, for two years running) touted during President Obama’s most recent State of the Union Address, may be at risk, as farmers and ranchers face off with oilmen in competition for scarce water supplies –ranchers and farmers to water their crops, and oilmen to use in the completion of their wells.

This year’s drought is certainly beyond man’s control, but the practical ramifications of a water shortage should serve as a wake-up call to policymakers and the public alike that America should address the water problems it can control and solve, such as replacing our decrepit infrastructure and building smarter water systems to maximize the benefit of the water that we have. The economic health of our nation depends on it.

NanoBusiness Recommends K&L Gates Post-Election Tech Webinar-Weds 11/7 12PM ET

Posted on November 9th, 2012 in Uncategorized | No Comments »

For those of us who are public policy wonks, K&L Gates is hosting a webinar today, Wednesday, November 7th:

Election 2012: What It Means For Emerging Technologies
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
12:PM ET

RSVP Online Now

I highly recommend this premier event.

This event is presented as part of the Global Government Solutions® initiative.

The upcoming national election not only determines who will sit in the Oval Office and on Capitol Hill. It will also impact every emerging technology company, their investors and American innovation for years to come.

Join K&L Gates’ policy panelists on November 7th – the day after the election – to hear how the election’s results will impact a wide range of emerging technologies, including cleantech/renewable energy, healthcare/biosciences, and emerging IT/cloud computing.

K&L Gates’ panelists have been pioneers in educating government officials about the potential of promising technologies to transform our economy and our lives. In this webinar, they will offer those special insights to help you determine how to best position your company with the federal government.

Presenters
Barton J. Gordon, former Congressman (D-TN) and chair of House Science, Space and Technology Committee, K&L Gates Partner

James T. Walsh, former Congressman (R-NY) and chair of House Appropriations Subcommittees, K&L Gates Government Affairs Counselor

Daniel Ritter, former chief counsel to a U.S. Senate subcommittee, K&L Gates Partner coordinating the emerging technology, innovation and sustainable business practice

Tim L. Peckinpaugh, former aide to the House Science Committee and Republican Study Committee, K&L Gates Partner

R. Paul Stimers, K&L Gates Partner

Submit a Question
This complimentary presentation will last for 90 minutes, with time allotted for questions from the audience. Submit your questions in advance.

RSVP Online Now

Other Ways to Stay Informed
Join K&L Gates in Washington, DC and via webinar for “What Happens Now?: A Post-Election Analysis Webinar and Luncheon” on Friday, November 9th at 11:30 Eastern. RSVP to attend live. RSVP for the webinar.

Speculation is intensifying on how the results will impact the make-up of Congress. Our 2012 Election Preview, a pre-election guide, forecasts the likely changes to the committees in both the House and Senate.  K&L Gates plans to publish a more complete guide the day after the Election which will include more extensive information on new members of Congress and changes to state delegations and congressional committees.

Regards,

Vincent Caprio “Serving the Nanotechnology Community for Over a Decade”
Executive Director
NanoBusiness Commercialization Association
203-733-1949
vincent@nanobca.org
www.nanobca.org
www.vincentcaprio.org

NanoBusiness Interview – Paul Clayson, President & CEO, HzO, Inc.

Posted on November 9th, 2012 in Uncategorized | No Comments »

In this month’s interview, we talk with Paul Clayson, President & CEO of HzO, Inc. We were delighted to have Mr. Clayson speak at our 11th Annual NanoBusiness Conference in Boston, MA and the Nanotech Commercialization Conference in Durham, NC. HzO is a Salt Lake City, Utah based start-up with cutting-edge, breakthrough technology that makes electronic devices water resistant. Mr. Clayson has been a business owner, global strategic planning expert, financial and investment strategist and senior political advisor for the past 30 years. Mr. Clayson previously served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of nCoat, Inc., an award winning nanotechnology materials development and manufacturing company, which he sold in 2010. He has served as President and COO of Sequoia Pacific Research Company.

Previously, Mr. Clayson managed congressional campaigns and served as Chief of Staff to two U.S. Congressmen. He served in the White House as a lead advance agent to two U.S. Presidents. Mr. Clayson served as senior management and operations officer for prominent institutional investment advisory and research firms in Portland, OR, growing assets under management from $400 million to over $2 billion. As a senior officer for a Utah based publicly traded technology company, he developed global marketing, business, product development, and finance strategies and helped grow the company from an R&D base to a globally commercialized firm. Mr. Clayson has served in numerous charitable, civic and political key positions: Chairman of the Utah Nanotechnology initiative, board member of the Utah Technology Industry Council, Chairman of the North Carolina WIRED Action Committee for Advanced Manufacturing and member of the Board of Directors of the Piedmont Triad Entrepreneurial Network. He currently serves as Chairman of the Industrial Advisory Board for the Engineering Resource Center at North Carolina A&T State University.

In our interview, we discuss HzO’s innovative nanocoatings technology, its range of applications, and the company’s outlook for the year ahead and beyond. We hope you enjoy the interview with Paul Clayson.
– Steve Waite, Director of Research and Strategy

SW: It is a pleasure to speak with you, Paul. We thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk about HzO. Give us a little background on the genesis of HzO.

PC: The genesis of the HzO technology began in Fairhaven, MA. A company that provides professional training for mariners began developing technology to make cellphones that could survive in water after an accident occurred with one of its students. The concept was to find a way to protect the electronic circuitry in the device, even if the circuitry was directly exposed to water. That meant no gaskets, seals, plugs, cases or ziplock bags. After years of development, a novel thin film nano-coating was completed and applied through a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. This process allowed the polymeric coating to surround every exposed surface in the electronic assembly and protect the assembly from failure by electrical shorting, even from dendrite growth.

In 2009, ZAGG, Inc., a public consumer products company, saw the product and acquired a controlling interest in the technology. ZAGG spun off a separate privately held company called HzO, assigned the technology to the new entity and continued development toward commercial launch.  In 2011, I was introduced to ZAGG and formed an agreement to separately capitalize the company. We launched commercial operations in September, 2011 and today HzO owns 100% of the technology.

SW: What makes HzO’s nanotechnology unique and effective at what it does?

PC: HzO will change where people use their technology without fear of loss. Our mission is that simple. The HzO technology protects electronics from damage even when submerged for extended periods of time with the electronic circuitry fully exposed to water. We regularly test electronic devices at one meter for 30 and even 60 minutes. We have targeted as an initial market the consumer smartphone and electronics industry. We have hundreds of YouTube videos that show HzO dunking smartphones, tablets, iPods and other electronics in water while still playing videos, music, or making calls and sending text messages. In many instances, we remove the back cover of the device so there is no question the electronics are exposed to the water.

While there are many market products that repel water, HzO’s submersion safe technology has gained very rapid global attention. To get this novel coating formula to market, we built a proprietary high throughput CVD system that produces volumes able to exceed the throughput of the world’s largest phone and device manufacturers.  The combination of novel formula process and equipment constitute the HzO intellectual property. We have filed 6 patents and 11 provisional on the IP in the US and in many other countries. I believe that the HzO team now knows more about water failure on smart phones than any company on the planet. When HzO technology is applied to a substrate, angstrom sized particles in a gas state align in a 3-D matrix to create a polymer coating that is transparent, and pinhole free with consistent thickness and universal coverage on all exposed surfaces. We apply no coating to the exterior of the device so it never affects the look and feel. The coating does not retain heat so circuitry does not sustain thermal damage. We simply like to say that HzO provides protection from the inside out.

SW: What kinds of applications do you see for HzO’s nanocoatings?

PC: Certainly consumer mobile communication devices are a huge and growing market. Everyone is carrying their computer in their pocket today. And because our “computers” are now with us everywhere we go, they are exposed to damage by water through natural elements like rain and sweat and human accidents. Our research shows the number of devices falling in toilets when skinny jeans are loosened is astounding. Further research shows that over 65% of water damaged devices involve a submersion event.  And by the way, the communications market is equally as large in military, commercial, first responders, and a host of other market segments. HzO will enter the mobile laptop market as well. Additionally, we are currently doing applications for massive markets like consumer appliances (think dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerators, kitchen appliances, bathroom appliances, etc.).

Other areas include medical devices, automotive electronics, aerospace, and solar energy. There are scores of other markets like hearing aids, artificial limbs, GPS, exercise equipment, performance racing, recreational vehicles, and freight and transport monitors. Our primary business model is to license our technology to high volume manufacturers for installation at customer facilities. However, we also have installed our high speed equipment at our headquarters and we are doing application coatings jobs daily for customers who do not have volume which warrants an investment in machinery.

SW: Are there any special challenges in bringing HzO’s technology to market?

PC: Integration of machinery and process into existing manufacturing equipment is not a trivial endeavor. Adoption of HzO technology into consumer markets requires specifying HzO into production plans for the next generation of devices and working very closely with customer engineering teams. In addition, there are consumer device components, like cameras, that are not built to withstand water. While our technology can protect the component electronics, there can be other issues, like condensation on a camera lens that requires additional engineering. However, we have been jointly developing solutions to those problems for over a year. All can and will be solved in future devices.

Additionally, automotive, medical and other industries electronics usually do not require the same component redesign or do not have components attached. We can bring these applications to market much quicker.  In addition, there is an interesting market dynamic that is a minor challenge. A water barrier protocol was developed in Japan several decades back that measured the ability of the case on a device to prevent water ingress inside the chamber holding the electronics. The water ingress (referred to as IPX standard) standard assigns a numerical value to the ability to withstand everything from minor external water exposure (IP1) to submersion at 1 meter for 30 minutes (IP7). This system then allows device manufacturers to claim an IPX rating based on which testing level was met. These IPX ratings are also known as waterproofing standards.

HzO enters the market and everyone is asking which IPX standard we meet with our technology. The practical answer is all of them by performance. The technical answer is none of them, because we allow water ingress around the electronics with no resulting damage. We cannot tell anyone we meet IPX standards. This confuses technical assessment for manufacturers who want to know the IPX rating. If we state we have waterproof technology, it is practically true, but technically incorrect.  Because we are changing the paradigm of water protection, we have now developed a new testing standard called the WaterBlock standard, which we are bringing to market with industry players. This new testing standard will measure the ability to protect electronic assemblies even when directly surrounded by water. We believe this will clear up some of the confusion surrounding existing industry standards. In the future, we expect to see a WBX rating for electronics water protection coatings.

Finally, manufacturers have been hesitant to adopt HzO without demand from the carriers and retailers who are buying the devices, because they will sell fewer devices if HzO is protecting against water damage. However, carriers and retailers – not to mention consumers – are growing very weary of being forced to pay the cost to keep loyal customers, because the customer has a dead phone from water damage that is not covered under warranty. Now that carriers and retailers see there is a solution, they are driving the manufacturers to adopt HzO quickly.

SW: The coming year appears to be a breakout year for HzO. How do you see the company’s prospects in 2013?

PC: First, we see a strong growth path for coatings application jobs we are doing in-house. We see more and more inquiries weekly. Second, consumers will begin to see HzO on various models of phones, tablets, toys and other consumer products in 2013. Industrial and commercial applications will also be introduced. HzO will enjoy a significant leap in revenue in 2013, but we expect a much steeper growth curve in 2014 and beyond. We believe that while the first applications require long lead times, everyone wants to be second to market. We have planned to capture that ramp.

SW: What does the competitive landscape look like for HzO. Do you see the potential for a lot of competition in the future?

PC: Every emerging technology must plan for competitive entries as time progresses, it is inevitable. To a degree, that is good news for us. Market expansion and adoption will lead to a bigger pie.  Currently, there are competitive coating technologies using plasma and silicon based solutions. Our biggest competitor is mechanical seals – gaskets, plugs and the like. Both mechanical seals and external cases change the aesthetics of the device and in some cases the usability. Consumers have been slow to adopt mechanical seals everywhere but Japan. In addition, if a port plug is left out or a case left unsealed, water ingress occurs and the device still dies. Whether HzO is used as stand-alone water protection or as redundant protection with mechanical seals, we win.

SW: Looking out longer term, how do you see HzO evolving over the next 3-5 years?

PC: HzO will begin market adoption with a small number of consumer devices. We will also begin with some commercial applications, some of which are already on the market in emergency response, automotive, military and medical devices. Once early adoption occurs, consumer and user demand for the technology will increase very rapidly. In three years we expect to have a large number of devices and multiple commercial and military applications using HzO and a growing brand focused on HzO and the WBX standard. In five years, we expect very broad use of HzO driven by market success and consumer demand and a widely recognized brand. With time, we eliminate the fear of using technology in environments exposed to moisture and change where people use their technology.

SW: Do you envision HzO becoming a publicly traded company down the road, and if not, why not?

PC: Not if I can help it. Public trading brings so much cost, regulation, headaches and challenges, but certainly it is an option. Despite the negatives, public trading can allow broad ownership and an exit strategy for current shareholders. However, HzO has the great opportunity to drive strong cash flow and pay significant dividends to its current shareholders. We are building the business to make that a reality. I also strongly suspect there will be large multinational companies that will want to acquire HzO. We certainly will assess each opportunity at the correct time in our development.

SW: Last question for you today, Paul. What are some of the key lessons you’ve learned in working with nanotechnology?

PC: Number one is to balance the need for long and strong research, with the need to fund the research through profits from a commercialized product. The temptation is extraordinarily strong to allow “feature-creep” and the “never-finished” syndrome, which drags projects into financial ruin. Taking a lesson from the software world, we need to drive version one products to market when we are assured they are safe, effective and have markets waiting. Version two can improve the product performance. Of course, that is not always possible, but driving products to market creates more money for development and dramatically creates more knowledgeable workers and jobs for the industry.

The second is to form partnerships with university research labs, which builds the university experience in commercializing products and shortens time to market for companies because of their extensive equipment and impressive brain trust. I believe we need a national – not local or institutional – clearing house for nanotechnology development at all universities. If I could go to one source to find all the available developed technologies from research universities, my time to market would be a fraction of current limits. If entrepreneurs could peruse technologies at one source, many would see opportunity for technologies sitting on the shelf and form businesses to exploit them. Exclusive licensing for vertical applications is as easily fundable as proprietary technologies if the markets are ripe. That assumes the sponsoring university will be reasonable in the technology transfer demands.

Lastly, I would observe that nanotechnology is an enabling technology, not a product. There is so much that nanotechnology as a platform can improve. We need better, understandable public education in schools, business, civic and government venues to drive excitement and research funding. It can all be done on a device while sitting by a pool, in the rain or humidity without fear, because it is protected by HzO from the inside out.

SW: Thanks again for your time, Paul. It was a pleasure speaking with you. We wish you and your colleagues at HzO all the best in the future.

NANO NEWS

IBM Carbon Nanotech Research Could Lead To Next-Gen Computer Chips
http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1112721522/ibm-labs-nanotechnology-computer-chip-102912/

Officials say Chinese spies have targeted every sector of the U.S. economy
– NBC News
http://rockcenter.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/11/14369266-officials-say-chinese-spies-have-targeted-every-sector-of-the-us-economy?chromedomain=worldnews&lite

SAVE-THE-DATE: Facilities for Nanotechnology in Philadelphia | January 8, 2013
http://nanotechinstitute.org/news-events/events/facilities-for-nanotechnology-in-philadelphia-january-8-2013

For our friends impacted by Hurricane Sandy, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Regards,

Vincent Caprio “Serving the Nanotechnology Community for Over a Decade”
Executive Director
NanoBusiness Commercialization Association
203-733-1949
vincent@nanobca.org
www.nanobca.org
www.vincentcaprio.org

NanoBusiness Recommends Bavaria & Livingston Securities Business Investment Forum Mon. 10/22 NYC

Posted on November 9th, 2012 in Uncategorized | No Comments »

For those of you in the NY Metro region there is a very informative Event you should attend. Please join many of us from the Nanotechnology Community.

BAVARIA – Tri-State
Partnering and Investors Forum
Building German-U.S. Growth Opportunities
http://www.tristateinvestorsforum.com/Home.html

Monday, October 22, 2012

1:00pm – 7:00pm
Alexandria Center
450 East 29th Street, FL 2
New York, NY 10016

INVITATION
Invest in Bavaria and Livingston Securities invite you to join corporate leaders from Germany and the NY-NJ-CT Tri-State area to attend a half day Business Forum focused on partnering and financing.

The Forum will bring together 250 representatives from the German and American IT, Energy and Life Science sectors, investors and key government players. The Partnering and Investors Forum is offered at no charge for qualified companies.

DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO:
Present your company to an audience of investors with industry, product and geography specific expertise, including alternatives to Wall Street.

Connect with industry leaders from Germany and the NY-NJ-CT Tri-State area to discover new business opportunities.

Get expert insight into trends in IT, Energy and Life Sciences from top investors and leading companies.

Take part in discussions on critical location factors such as workforce, financing and commercialization of university start-ups with industry, university and government experts.

TO PARTICIPATE REGISTER ONLINE
http://www.tristateinvestorsforum.com/Register.html

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Decision makers of U.S. and German companies seeking innovative ways to finance their business growth and those considering expansion both in the U.S. and Germany.

Companies looking to expand their German and NY-NJ-CT Tri-State business networks.

MORE INFORMATION

Please contact:
Bavarian U.S. Offices for Economic Development, LLC
(212) 317-0588 or invest@bavaria.org

——————————-

NANO NEWS
Nanotechnology Hits the Rushing, Roaring Mainstream
Written by Scott E. Rickert, Ph.D.
October 10, 2012
http://www.internano.org/content/view/734/251/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nmw20121010

RCC Nanotechnology Webinar Invitation and Request for Nominations
The Canada-U.S. Regulatory Coordination Council (RCC) is holding a webinar on Wednesday, November 28, 2012, on the RCC Nanotechnolgoy Work Plan.
RCC Nano Webinar Invitation 10 2012.pdf

See you in NYC and let’s hope for a beautiful autumn day.

Regards,

Vincent Caprio “Serving the Nanotechnology Community for Over a Decade”
Executive Director
NanoBusiness Commercialization Association
203-733-1949
vincent@nanobca.org
www.nanobca.org
www.vincentcaprio.org

NanoBusiness Recommends Graphene-enabled Web Workshop, Mon. 10/15

Posted on November 9th, 2012 in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Graphene has been highlighted in nanotechnology news over the last few months.  I would like to share with you an opportunity to participate in one of the first graphene webinars.

Graphene-enabled Electrical & Electronic Products Web Workshop

hosted by IEC TC113
Monday, October 15th
9am-4pm PDT

All members of the nanotechnology community that have knowledge of graphene (terminology, characterization), or graphene-enabled components or products are invited to participate.  You will be able to join the WebEx online meeting using the details below.  After you join the online meeting, information related to the teleconference numbers will be provided to you.

Expectations: We hope to emerge from the workshop with much more detail related to graphene and its applications.  This information will inform standards development organizations such as the IEC TC113 as they write standards related to graphene.  Those standards are expected to help accelerate the use of graphene in the marketplace.

The agenda will be generally as follows:
– Introduction to Workshop (purpose, detailed agenda, ground rules)
– Terminology (terms to be defined, brain-storming)

– Graphene-based components and products (discuss use cases related to graphene)

– Characterization of graphene (what, how, when, roadmap)
– Nanoscale Contacts and Nanoscale Interconnects (successes, issues, specifications)
– Future Work Items and Action Items (standards efforts, future research needed, feedback)

There will be a break mid-morning and mid-afternoon, and one hour for lunch. (in the PDT zone)

If you plan to participate, and wish to share any documents with the group, you will be able to do that in the WebEx format.  The host will guide you through the process during the meeting.

The web workshop will be recorded via WebEx, and will be made available to all attendees.  This will provide participants with access to any documents presented, as well as audio discussions.

You are invited to participate, especially if you work with graphene, or are involved in the development of components or products that use graphene, such as: nano-inks; printed electronics; semiconductors; transparent electrodes; touch screens; displays; coatings/paints; or other applications.

Topic: Graphene Standards
Date: Monday, October 15, 2012
Time: 9:00 am, Pacific Daylight Time (San Francisco, GMT-07:00)
Meeting Number: 592 623 662
Meeting Password: Graphene2012

To join the online meeting (Now from mobile devices!)

1. Go to https://ul.webex.com/ul/j.php?ED=208712442&UID=0&PW=NMTJlZjYwMTZi&RT=MiM0
2. If requested, enter your name and email address.
3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: Graphene2012
4. Click “Join”.

To view in other time zones or languages, please click the link:
https://ul.webex.com/ul/j.php?ED=208712442&UID=0&PW=NMTJlZjYwMTZi&ORT=MiM0

To join the teleconference only

Provide your phone number when you join the meeting to receive a call back. Alternatively, you can call:
Call-in toll-free number: 1-888-393-2219 (US)
Show global numbers: https://www.tcconline.com/offSite/OffSiteController.jpf?cc=0718582578
Conference Code: 071 858 2578

For assistance

1. Go to https://ul.webex.com/ul/mc
2. On the left navigation bar, click “Support”.

You can contact Greg Monty at:
greg.monty@us.ul.com
1-847-274-7017

To add this meeting to your calendar program (for example Microsoft Outlook), click this link:
https://ul.webex.com/ul/j.php?ED=208712442&UID=0&ICS=MI&LD=1&RD=2&ST=1&SHA2=zGiuHiLct9GtLiWccnGDdgaNY-0DvQGtDi5/RGj81lc=&RT=MiM0

The playback of UCF (Universal Communications Format) rich media files requires appropriate players. To view this type of rich media files in the meeting, please check whether you have the players installed on your computer by going to https://ul.webex.com/ul/systemdiagnosis.php.

Sign up for a free trial of WebEx
http://www.webex.com/go/mcemfreetrial

http://www.webex.com

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This WebEx service includes a feature that allows audio and any documents and other materials exchanged or viewed during the session to be recorded. By joining this session, you automatically consent to such recordings. If you do not consent to the recording, discuss your concerns with the meeting host prior to the start of the recording or do not join the session. Please note that any such recordings may be subject to discovery in the event of litigation.

For those of you in the Nano Community, you will be hearing more and more about graphene in the future.  Please take the opportunity to participate in this informative webinar.

Regards,

Vincent Caprio “Serving the Nanotechnology Community for Over a Decade”
Executive Director
NanoBusiness Commercialization Association
203-733-1949
vincent@nanobca.org
www.nanobca.org
www.vincentcaprio.org