Collaborations & Funding

Opportunities for collaboration and mechanisms for funding facilitate the discovery and deployment of nanotechnology to serve the public good. Among these are strategic programs, partnerships, and initiatives—through both the public and private sectors—that exist to assist scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs to advance the field of nanotechnology and its commercialization.

Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives

Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives (NSIs) are areas identified as ripe for significant advances through close and targeted program-level interagency collaboration.

Frequently Asked Questions for Business

A list of Frequently Asked Questions specific to small-medium businesses and industry.

Federal Funding and Infrastructure

The Federal Government supports and fosters the growth of nanotechnology for the benefit of society and the nation.

Business Development

A variety of regional, state, and commercial activities and collaborations are in place to support the United States nanotechnology industry.

Learn About Nanotechnology

These NNI brochures introduce basic concepts in nanotechnology. Big Things from a Tiny World (left) is a general overview; Powerful Things from a Tiny World (right) looks at nanotechnology and energy. These brochures are also available in Spanish.

Nanotechnology Fact

Nanotechnology encompasses science, engineering, and technology at the nanoscale, which is about 1 to 100 nanometers. Just how small is that? A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. For reference, a sheet of paper is about 100,000 nanometers thick. Nanoscale matter can behave differently than the same bulk material. For example, a material’s melting point, color, strength, chemical reactivity, and more may change at the nanoscale.

Researchers seeking to understand the fundamentals of properties at the nanoscale may call their work nanoscience; those focused on effective use of the properties may call their work nanoengineering. Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering, and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at the nanoscale.

Learn more in the Nano 101 section.