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Choosing to Lead: The Race for National R&D Leadership and New Economy Jobs R&D Breakfast e-Newsletter January 2005 |
 R&D Breakfast Briefing on Nanotechnology: Strong partnerships between industry and academia will accelerate commercialization of nanotechnology The nanotechnology research and manufacturing opportunities available to Massachusetts and how the Commonwealth can become a leader in the emerging nanotechnology field were the topics of a discussion between industry and university leaders on January 19th at Mass Insight Corporation’s fifth in its series of R&D Breakfast Briefings. >LEAD STORY read more Panelists stress need to link research with manufacturing Panelists agreed that there is a need to link nanotechnology research with manufacturing and stressed that while the Commonwealth has embraced the research end of the pipeline, the manufacturing end continues to need support. >read more R&D Breakfast Briefing Series continues
in March. Presentations from the Nanotechnology R&D
Breakfast Briefing at PricewaterhouseCoopers Strong partnerships between industry and academia will accelerate commercialization of nanotechnology Gregory Shelton, vice president of Engineering at Raytheon and co-chair of Mass Insight’s Nanotechnology Sci-Tech Work Group opened the January 19th Breakfast Briefing on the potential of Nanotechnology in Massachusetts by citing the importance of inventorying the state’s intellectual capital and existing facilities and choosing pockets of focus in order to market existing capabilities toward the creation of commercializing products in Massachusetts Ahmed A. Busnaina, Ph.D., Director of The Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing, a collaboration among Northeastern University, the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, the University of New Hampshire, led the presentation by describing the startup and purpose of The Center, which was awarded a $12.4 million NSF grant in September, and addressed how real partnerships and teamwork between industry and academia can translate into success on projects or proposals. “There are tremendous opportunities for collaboration between industry and academia especially in nanomanufacturing,” stated Busnaina. “Strong partnerships with industry will accelerate commercialization. Partnerships in education for the current and future workforce are also an important and enabling issue.” Where’s the nano-beef? Establishing Massachusetts as a leader not just in nanotechnology R&D but also in nanomanufacturing was addressed by Brent Segal, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer of Nantero. Relating to his experience in founding and operating Nantero, Segal stressed that while Massachusetts is a leader in nanotechnology R&D, it is sorely lacking when it comes to fabrication. “I call it ‘where's the nano-beef?’ There's great research happening here, but no manufacturing. We need to encourage people to stay in Massachusetts and make these products. We need a way for people to work together,” he stated. Segal discussed his company’s need to go outside Massachusetts to California and Virginia to meet fabrication requirements because the capabilities do not yet exist in Massachusetts. The nano-game is about manufacturing, say panelistsModerator John A. Armstrong, Ph.D., Chair, Executive Advisory Committee, Massachusetts Technology Road Map Study and Retired VP of Science and Technology, IBM Corporation led the panel discussion on the issues surrounding linking research and industry. Michael Masterson Co-founder, CEO and Chairman of ALD NanoSolutions and former Venture Partner at Flagship Ventures noted the need for manufacturing to be close to research in nanotechnology from a venture perspective. “Make it investible,” said Masterson, who related how his company gave academics a stake in the investment. “The nano-game is about manufacturing, a difficult environment from which to extract any cash. Show the commitment to research and keep research ‘dialed into the products’ that would be easily investible.” As a researcher, Mark Tuominen, Ph.D. Co-director of the Research Center for Nanotechnology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, commented on the need for collaboration between research and industry and felt that research would benefit by hearing about target markets from state industry as well as by identifying companies that have excess capacity with which to partner. Tuominen concurred that there are not a lot of “fabs” in Massachusetts. His lab was unable to find a nanomanufacturer in Massachusetts and had to look beyond the state borders. Tuominen also commented on the importance of partnering with smaller companies to advance research. A discussion ensued on the pros and cons of prototype facilities where a lot of leading edge technologies can intermingle instead of having a manufacturing facility that has to "cobble" the pieces together. Whether a prototype center or partnering with manufactures, all concurred on the importance of commercializing nanotechnology in Massachusetts by finding research that "looks like" products, getting the manufacturing and determining what creates the downstream. Next steps Presentations from the Nanotechnology R&D Breakfast Briefing at PricewaterhouseCoopers Click below for presentations and handouts: Brent Segal, Chief Operating Officer, Nantero [Powerpoint 720k]  |
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The Massachusetts Nanotech Exchange Presents Nanotechnology Save the date for the next Nine Zeros Breakfast Forum, dedicated to the emerging needs of the nanotechnology community. The Forum is presented by the Massachusetts Nanotech Exchange and hosted by Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP. Tuesday, February 8, 2005 To register for this event, please email nanotech@mitx.org Mass Insight Partners with Mass High Tech Newspaper for Special R&D Reports Mass Insight is collaborating with Mass High Tech
newspaper, read by over 50,000 technology decision makers every week,
on four special technology center sections in Mass High Tech which will
parallel the Road Map strategic alliance partnerships being developed
by industry and university leaders. For advertising information, contact Jill Cohen, Advertising Director, Mass High Tech at 617-241-4360 or jcohen@masshightech.com or click here for more information on the special report series. Breakfast Briefing Series Continues Watch your mailbox for information about our upcoming R&D Breakfast Briefings For more information, contact SciTech@massinsight.com. Sponsors of Mass Insight’s R&D Breakfast Series and the R&D Strategic Alliances Clearinghouse:
Two years ago, in the midst of an economic downturn,
a group of industry, teaching hospital, and university leaders organized
by Mass Insight at the Boston Foundation met to discuss how to cooperate
to bring business to Massachusetts. That group, and the Science & Technology
Initiative that resulted, supported the passage of the economic stimulus
package now poised to fuel job growth through strategic projects joining
industry, universities and teaching hospitals. In parallel, the group
organized the Technology Road Map study. |
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©2004 Mass Insight Corporation, 18 Tremont Street, Suite 930, Boston, MA 02108. Mass Insight Corporation organizes leadership groups and facilitates public-private initiatives to improve state performance on issues that have a significant economic impact on Massachusetts. To be added to or removed from this distribution list, please send an email to scitech@massinsight.com. |
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