Business Development Support

A major aim of the National Nanotechnology Initiative is to maximize the return on the Federal government's investment in nanoscale R&D. Therefore, communicating with the business community on current research activities, partnership opportunities and available resources is a high priority.

To facilitate nanotechnology R&D, government infrastructure is available to researchers through the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network, the Network for Computational Nanotechnology, the DOE Nanoscale Science Research Centers, the Naval Research Laboratory's Institute of Nanoscience, and through the nanoFab at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. In addition to the facilities mentioned above, many, if not most, universities are willing to work with businesses in research collaborations. Most have technology transfer offices that can be contacted directly for information on possible collaborations.

The Federal government also offers special Funding Opportunities for industry, universities, and other research institutions.

 

Mechanisms of NNI Interaction with Industry and States

An important objective of the NNI is developing interactions with industry and state organizations in order to support nanotechnology development and technology transfer. The Nanomanufacturing, Industry Liaison, and Innovation (NILI) Working Group surveyed NNI member agencies to create a central list of the different agency programs that work toward this objective, and to detail the current or planned activities that support this goal of the NILI charter. To learn more, click on the gray boxes below.

Defense Threat Reduction Agency/JPEO Chemical & Biological Defense Program (DTRA/CBDP)

Mechanisms to facilitate nanotechnology innovation, nanomanufacturing advancement, and interactions with industry, medical or other economic sectors:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity
Chem-Bio Detection Capability Area Research As available Nano-PCR:  Rapid, Accurate, and Portable Full Genomic Amplification (Nanobiosym, Inc.)

CBD/ SBIR

Chem-Bio Small Business Innovation Research program		 As available (total CBD SBIR FY09 budget = $12.7M); these funds are for Phase I & Phase II contract awards across the Physical S&T and Medical S&T Capability Areas.  Some topic areas have addressed nano-technology applications.

Participation in the annual DoD Beyond Phase II program; this annual outreach conference was established to facilitate one-on-one interactions between small businesses and potential industry partners to commercialize SBIR developed technologies.
http://www.beyondphaseii.com
Mechanisms to exchange information and stimulate interactions related to nanotechnology with other industry, state, and local organizations:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

CBD/ SBIR

Chem-Bio Small Business Innovation Research  program		 As available

State operated Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) serve as liaison between SBIR programs (e.g., the Government) and small businesses, and potential industrial partners.  The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) established the SBDC network to foster relationships with small business and industry. A few example SBDC websites include:
http://www.sbtdc.org/technology/sbirsttr.asp
http://www.floridasbdc.com/
http://www.idahosbdc.org/

CBD SBIR has periodically interacted with Florida, North Carolina, Colorado and Montana SBDC organizations.
Mechanisms to enable transfer of technology to industry:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity
Participating at outreach conferences such as the DoD Beyond Phase II conference (see #1 above)   See info presented above

 

Department of Agriculture. Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (USDA/ CSREES)

Mechanisms to facilitate nanotechnology innovation, nanomanufacturing advancement, and interactions with industry, medical or other economic sectors:

Title or name of each activity

Amount and budget of annual activity

Example of activity
Providing competitive grants, including SBIR, formula funds, and Congressional earmarks for research, education and extension activities $6M combined total for nanotechnology, nanomanufacturing is a small fraction of it.

NRI competitive grants, currently funded projects http://cris.csrees.usda.gov/cgi-bin/starfinder/0?path=nrinselink.txt&id=anon&pass=&search=CG=*-35603-*%20not%20PS=TERM*&format=WEBTITLESG
Mechanisms to exchange information and stimulate interactions related to nanotechnology with other industry, state, and local organizations:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity
Example of activity
Facilitating broad stakeholder interactions with LGUs, other research institutions, the food industry, and agricultural producers through workshops, conferences, grantees’ annual meetings, multistate research committees  

Nanoscale Science and Engineering for Agriculture and Food Systems – National Planning Workshop, http://www.nseafs.cornell.edu/

 

Mechanisms to enable transfer of technology to industry:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

CRADA- Cooperative Research and Development Agreement

SBIR- Small Business Innovation Research

USDA Extension system/Extension Communities of Practice (CoP)

Some large grants with industry direct involvement in project planning, executive, and sharing results, sometimes through an industry advisory board.

Special research grants aiming at solving industry problems, and may require industry matching fund.

    

 

Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Business (DOL/ETAB)

Mechanisms to facilitate nanotechnology innovation, nanomanufacturing advancement, and interactions with industry, medical or other economic sectors:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity
High Growth Job Training Initiative N/A The High Growth Job Training Initiative is a strategic effort to prepare workers to take advantage of new and increasing job opportunities in high growth, high demand and economically vital sectors of the American economy.  The High Growth Initiative targets worker training and career development resources toward helping workers gain the skills they need to build successful careers in these and other growing industries.
Community Based Job Training Grants N/A

Community Based Job Training Grants serve to build the capacity of community and technical colleges to train workers and develop skills needed in local industries and occupations that are expected to experience high growth.

California Nanotechnology Collaborative NanoCenter (http://www.doleta.gov/BRG/CBJTGrants/pdf/CA_San_Bernardino_Community_College.pdf)
Mechanisms to exchange information and stimulate interactions related to nanotechnology with other industry, state, and local organizations:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity
Global Issues in Nanotechnology (GIN) Working Group, NSTC-CT-NSET Subcommittee None

Participation in GIN meetings

Contributions to GIN projects related to OECD activity

Connection of NILI and NSET conferences and meetings to DOL-ETA nanotech talent development investments

 

Department of State

Mechanisms to facilitate nanotechnology innovation, nanomanufacturing advancement, and interactions with industry, medical or other economic sectors:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

OECD Working Party on Nanotechnology

 N/A

Project on Nanotechnology Impacts on Companies and Business Environments

www.oecd.org/sti/nano

OECD Working Party on Nanotechnology

 N/A

Project on Nanotechnology Indicators and Statistics
 

http://www.oecd.org/sti/nano

 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Mechanisms to facilitate nanotechnology innovation, nanomanufacturing advancement, and interactions with industry, medical or other economic sectors:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity
Meeting with product sponsor Part of FDA responsibility—no specific budget

For all products that FDA regulates, product sponsors request regular meeting
Public meetings to hear from industry on requirements for nano products Part of FDA responsibility—no specific budget Two public meetings to hear from public on requirements for nanoproducts
Mechanisms to exchange information and stimulate interactions related to nanotechnology with other industry, state, and local organizations:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity
Developing guidance for industry for nano products No specific budget—part of FDA business FDA Task Force Report
Mechanisms to enable transfer of technology to industry:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity
While FDA typically does not develop technology for transfer to industry, FDA does serve as a facilitator of technology to bring new technology to enhance public health. None N/A

 

National Institute of Standards and Technology/ Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (NIST/ CNST)

Mechanisms to facilitate nanotechnology innovation, nanomanufacturing advancement, and interactions with industry, medical or other economic sectors:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST)

NanoFab Facility
  

http://cnst.nist.gov/
NIST / SRC-NRI Partnership  
TIP- Technology Innovation Program  
Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)  
SBIR - Small Business Innovation Research  
Recovery Act Measurement Science and Engineering Research Grants Program  
Mechanisms to exchange information and stimulate interactions related to nanotechnology with other industry, state, and local organizations:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity
Sponsor/co-sponsor Nanotechnology-related Workshops Approx. 5 per year

2008-2009 Examples:
Participate in National and International Technical and Standards Committees  

Examples:

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Committee 113 (TC 113) – Nanotechnology standardization for electrical and electronic products and systems
http://www.iec.ch/dyn/www/f?p=102:7:0::::FSP_LANG_ID,FSP_ORG_ID:25,1315
Maintain Website with Links to Research  
Focused on Nanotechnology    
Mechanisms to enable transfer of technology to industry:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity
Publishing Papers  
Developing Standards    
Develop Standard Reference Materials (SRM)  

Examples:

RM 8011, Gold Nanoparticles, Nominal 10 nm Diameter
RM 8012, Gold Nanoparticles, Nominal 30 nm Diameter
RM 8013, Gold Nanoparticles, Nominal 60 nm Diameter

http://ts.nist.gov/MeasurementServices/ReferenceMaterials

 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control (NIOSH/ CDC)

Mechanisms to facilitate nanotechnology innovation, nanomanufacturing advancement, and interactions with industry, medical or other economic sectors:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity
Facilitating nanotechnology innovation indirectly by reducing safety concern barriers through the NIOSH Nanotechnology program $6M in FY08 NIOSH Nanotechnology Program http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech/  NIOSH Approaches to Safe Nanotechnology http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech/safenano/ NIOSH Nanotechnology Field Team (NIOSH Publication No. 2008-121: NIOSH Nanotechnology Field Research Effort; http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2008-121/
Mechanisms to exchange information and stimulate interactions related to nanotechnology with other industry, state, and local organizations:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

NIOSH eNews

NIOSH Science Blog 		  http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/enews/default.htmlhttp://www.cdc.gov/niosh/blog/
Mechanisms to enable transfer of technology to industry:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

Research to Practice (r2p), a NIOSH initiative focused on the transfer and translation of research findings, technologies, and information into highly effective prevention practices and products which are adopted in the workplace.

CDC Technology Transfer Office

 

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/r2p/

CRADA, MTAs, etc.
http://www.cdc.gov/od/science/techtran/index.htm

 

National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute (NIH/ NCI)

Mechanisms to facilitate nanotechnology innovation, nanomanufacturing advancement, and interactions with industry, medical or other economic sectors:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

CCNE - Centers of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence

CNPP - Cancer Nanotechnology Platform Partnerships

UIP – Unconventional Innovations Program

SBIR/STTR – Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer

NCL – Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory		  

http://nano.cancer.gov/programs/ccne.asp
http://nano.cancer.gov/programs/nanotech_platforms.asphttp://otir.cancer.gov/programs/ati_uip.asp

Unconventional Innovations Program completed in 2008.

http://sbir.cancer.gov/

 

 

 

http://ncl.cancer.gov
Mechanisms to exchange information and stimulate interactions related to nanotechnology with other industry, state, and local organizations:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

Maintaining web site, includes information about Alliance awardees, funding opportunities, scientific bibliography

NCL-
Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory

NanoWeek

  

http://nano.cancer.gov

 

 

http://ncl.cancer.gov http://ncl.cancer.gov/ncl_business_plan.pdf   http://ncl.cancer.gov/NCLSubmissions.asp

http://www.capconcorp.com/nanoweek2009/
Mechanisms to enable transfer of technology to industry:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

SBIR/STTR- Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer

 

UIP- Unconventional Innovations Program

 

NCL- National Characterization Lab

 

Public-Private-Partnership

  

http://sbir.cancer.gov

 

 

 

http://otir.cancer.gov/programs/ati_uip.asp

 

http://ncl.cancer.gov/working_intellectual-property.asp

 

http://ppp.od.nih.gov/pppinfo/focusareas.asp

 

National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH/ NHLBI)

Mechanisms to facilitate nanotechnology innovation, nanomanufacturing advancement, and interactions with industry, medical or other economic sectors:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

PEN – NHLBI Programs of Excellence in Nanotechnology

SBIR/STTR – Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer

BRP - Bioengineering Research Partnerships

  

http://www.nhlbi-pen.net/default.php

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all?content=10.1080/01902140802022484

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-07-352.html

 
Mechanisms to exchange information and stimulate interactions related to nanotechnology with other industry, state, and local organizations:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

PEN – NHLBI Programs of Excellence in Nanotechnology

NanoWeek

  

http://www.nhlbi-pen.net/default.php

http://www.capconcorp.com/nanoweek2009/
Mechanisms to enable transfer of technology to industry:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

SBIR/STTR
Small Business Innovation Research/ Small Business Technology Transfer program

BRP - Bioengineering Research Partnerships

Public-Private-Partnership		  

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all?content=10.1080/01902140802022484

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-07-352.html

 

 

http://ppp.od.nih.gov/pppinfo/focusareas.asp

 

National Science Foundation

Mechanisms to facilitate nanotechnology innovation, nanomanufacturing advancement, and interactions with industry, medical or other economic sectors:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

GOALI - Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry

I/UCRC - Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers

SBIR - Small Business Innovation Research

STTR - Small Business Technology Transfer

PFI – Partnerships for Innovation

open pool of funds

 

open pool of funds

 

open pool of funds

 

open pool of funds

 

open pool of funds

 

 http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2007/nsf07522/nsf07522.htm

 

 

http://www.nsf.gov/eng/iip/iucrc/

 

 

 http://www.nsf.gov/eng/iip/sbir/index.jsp

 

 http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5527

 

 

http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5261

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NSEC –Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers

NNN - National Nanomanufacturing Network

NNIN – National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Networks

NCN - Network for Computational Nanotechnology

NRI –Nanoelectronics Research Infrastructure

MRSEC – Materials Research Science & Engineering Centers

STC – Science and Technology Centers
and
ERC - Engineering Research Centers

NIRT –Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Teams –No competition in 2009

19 centers

 

Network with 4 main nodes

 

Network with 14 nodes

 

Network with 7 nodes

17 centers with main focus on nano

 

2 centers only on nano

http://www.nsecnetworks.org/

 

 

 http://www.internano.org/

 

 http://www.nnin.org/

 

 

 http://www.ncn.purdue.edu/

 

 http://nri.src.org/member/about/default.asp
 http://nri.src.org/member/centers/nsf-nri/about.asp
 http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5295

http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5541

www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf07521
Mechanisms to exchange information and stimulate interactions related to nanotechnology with other industry, state, and local organizations:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

Maintaining website with abstracts and funding opportunities, with search engine

Supporting workshops

about 4,000 awards posted (keyword: nano*)

 

About 10 per year

www.nsf.gov/nano;   

www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/; or
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/

Workshop with forestry industry, website or reference TBA
Mechanisms to enable transfer of technology to industry:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

Publishing papers

Patents

Funding  SBIR/STTR  companies

Matching  SBIR/STTR companies to industry

N/A

N/A

 $18 million (grants)

$5 million   (supplements)

N/A

N/A

http://www.nsf.gov/eng/iip/sbir/diversity/2003sbirII.xls

 

http://www.nsf.gov/eng/iip/sbir/matchmaker.jsp

 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

**Note: Data Forthcoming

United States Forest Service (USFS)

Mechanisms to facilitate nanotechnology innovation, nanomanufacturing advancement, and interactions with industry, medical or other economic sectors:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity
Nanotechnology for the Forest Products Industry- Vision and Technology Roadmap  

FS participated in Forest Products industry nanotechnology roadmapping workshop. Road map published by the Agenda 2020 Technology Alliance.

http://www.agenda2020.org/PDF/fp_nanotechnology.pdf
SBIR   SBIR project with NanoDynamics to develop mold resistant building materials
Mechanisms to exchange information and stimulate interactions related to nanotechnology with other industry, state, and local organizations:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity
American Forest & Paper Association Agenda 2020 Technology Alliance   Regular interaction and review of pre-commercial nanotechnology for application in the forest products industry
Chemical Industry Vision 2020 Technology Partnership   Regular interaction discussing nanotechnology in the chemical industry.  Provide input into chemical industry road mapping activities.
American Forest & Paper Association/Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry Industrial Liaison Meeting   Annual review (2 days) of USFS nanotechnology R&D program with  industry
Annual International Conference on Nanotechnology for the Forest Products Industry $5,000 sponsorship plus staff time and travel costs to plan , conduct and participate in the conference Research conference on nanotechnology specific to the forest products sector—involves industry and universities in the US and worldwide
FS-Purdue University collaboration $45,000 plus salary and benefits  of employee (~$90,000) USFS has placed a nanotechnology scientist at the Purdue University Birck Nanotechnology Center with joint academic appointment. 
Mechanisms to enable transfer of technology to industry:
Title or name of each activity Amount and budget of annual activity Example of activity

American Forest & Paper

  Review of pre-commercial nanotechnology and assess readiness for technology deployment
Association Agenda 2020 Technology Alliance    
Research publications in scientific and industry technical journals    
SBIR project-NanoDynamics and other cooperative R&D agreements as opportunities arise   Develop mold resistant building products

 

United State International Trade Commission (USITC)

**Note: Data Forthcoming

State, Regional, and Local Nanotechnology Initiatives and Resources

State and regional economic development initiatives for nanotechnology now operate in many states, and several others are getting started. To find out what kind of support is available locally for commercial development, contact the Initiative office closest to you. State and local economic development offices also can assist R&D efforts. To learn more about nanotechnology initiatives, visit the workshop site from the 2009 Regional, State and Local Initiatives in Nanotechnology Workshop.

Albany NanoTech (New York)
Arizona Nanotechnology Cluster (Arizona)
Birck Nanotechnology Center (Indiana)
California NanoSystems Institute (California)
Colorado Nanotechnology Initiative (Colorado)
Greater Washington Nanotech Alliance (Washington, D.C.)
High Technology Innovation Corporation (Hawaii)
Maryland Technology Development Corporation (Maryland)
Massachusetts Nanotechnology Initiative (Massachussetts)
MidAtlantic Nanotech Alliance (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware)
NanoBusiness Alliance (across the US)
nanoSTAR Institute (Virginia)
North Carolina Nanotechnology (North Carolina)
North Dakota Centers of Excellence (North Dakota)
Northern California Nanotechnology Initiative (California)
Northern Virginia Technology Council (Virginia)
Ohio Third Frontier (Ohio)
Oklahoma Nanotechnology Initiative (Oklahoma)
Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI) (Oregon)
Pennsylvania Nanomaterials Commercialization Center (Pennsylvania)
Southwest Nano Consortium (Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, and northern Mexico)
Texas Emerging Technology Fund (Texas)
Texas Nanotechnology Initiative (Texas)
The Nano-Network (Ohio)
Washington Tech Center (Washington)
WV Nano Initiative (West Virginia)

Internet Resources

Numerous Internet resources offer information that could be of use to businesses working in or interested in nanotechnology. See Links