CONVERGENCE: For Science & Technology Policymakers and Practitioners

The March 22 session, organized by the John Adams Innovation Institute and the Commonwealth’s Executive Office of Economic Development, officially introduced a survey that is currently being conducted of more than 175 nanotech-related firms in Massachusetts.

The survey will develop a comprehensive profile of the sector, detailing the firms, the target markets, applications and products being developed, as well as facilities and services firms are likely to want, and also identifying barriers to the firms’ potential growth. Key data points—such as an accurate number of people currently employed by the cluster—are expected to be part of the results.

The survey results will be presented at the Bio Nano 2006 conference to be held in Boston in early May.

As an introduction to the discussion, Robert Kispert, director of Federal and University Programs at the Innovation Institute, provided an overview of the nanotech industry in Massachusetts, by the numbers.

Massachusetts ranks nationally first in workforce, second in innovation, fourth in nanotech research, second in nanotech industry, and second in venture capital investment in nanotechnology. Venture capital investments in nanotechnology have doubled in the last year.
The Commonwealth has a developed a critical mass in research & development in nano – garnering $26.04 per capita in federal awards. It is the home to three nanotech-focused national research centers at Harvard, Northeastern and the latest, announced April 10, at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
In addition, there are Department of Defense-funded Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies, National Institute for Health-funded centers in nanomedicine at Harvard and MIT, and a nanotechnology in society research center at Harvard.
The R&D capability has been bolstered by complementary state and institutional investments – more than $8 million by the Innovation Institute in a Center of Excellence in Nanomanufacturing at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, a Center for High-Rate Manufacturing at Northeastern, and the Center for Hierarchical Manufacturing at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Currently, the Innovation Institute has identified 175 companies, working in carbon nano-materials and applications, medical and industrial non-carbon nano-engineered material applications, devices for accelerated drug discovery, drug delivery technologies, renewable and portable energy technologies, lithography, microscopy, semiconductor capital equipment, and nano-enabled consumer products

Ranch Kimball, the Commonwealth’s Secretary for Economic Development, then provided a detailed analysis of a new initiative, Massachusetts Business Connect, as a way to engage with companies and connect with the resources and services Massachusetts has to offer.

Kimball used as an example the successful engagement with Proctor & Gamble, which recently purchased Gillette. After meeting with Proctor & Gamble executives, and getting a detailed list of research needs of the company, Kimball put together at two-day itinerary with research facilities and companies, many of which were focused on nanotechnology. The engagement led to 10 new agreements signed with Massachusetts’ business and research entities.

Kimball praised Massachusetts nanotechnology cluster as one defined by its broad range of potential applications and products

A productive dialogue ensued, facilitated by Pat Larkin, Innovation Institute director, as the participants talked with each other about needs and issues confronting the cluster: recruiting top engineers, access to facilities, the transition of products to the marketplace, and resources.

“The meeting was a success,” said Kispert. “It was a great starting point. Very few participants left after the meeting ended; instead, we all continued the conversation. Some of us stayed for more than 45 minutes.”

The Big Picture on Nano