[QuantumSphere - Energetics and Power for Advanced Applications] September 2005

After Canceling IPO Plans Last Year, Nanosys Raises $40 Million in Private Equity Financing
Nov 09, 2005

Nanosys did not give an explanation for revisiting the IPO route, but the nanotech company explained that it would use this latest round of financing to fund development and manufacturing scale-up of products that have the companyÍs exclusive inorganic nanostructures. Existing and new investors in the company include ARCH Venture Partners, Intel Capital, Medtronic, Inc., and Polaris Venture Partners. NanosysÍ current product development programs include non-volatile memory for electronic devices, chemical analysis chips for pharmaceutical drug research, and fuel cells for portable electronics.

BASF to Increase R&D Spending By 18% in 2006; Nanotechnology is Targeted As One of CompanyÍs Growth Clusters
Nov 14, 2005

The German chemicals company plans to increase its R&D expenditures to more than $1.15 billion eur (appx. $1.2 billion US dollars). The company also wants to add to its scientific staff, creating 180 new positions over the next few years. More than two-thirds of the R&D funds will be allocated to what BASF identifies as five growth clusters: energy management, raw material change, nanotechnology, plant biotechnology, and industrial biotechnology. Nanotechnology R&D is a high priority for BASF; the company has committed $180 million eur over the next twenty-four months for nanotech-related research expenditures. The company expects the end-user nanotechnology market to grow at an annual average rate of 10-15% over the next five years.

Key Players in the Mobile Phone Market Look to Nanotechnology to Keep Them Ahead of Competitors
Nov 11, 2005

Giants such as Nokia and Motorola have been steadily building up their in-house research groups to increase their research activities in nanotechnology, and they are also staying on top of nanotech developments coming out of academic researchers and start-up companies. Executives at Nokia observe that advances in technology are driven by a demand to make mobile phones thinner, smaller, and with multi-functionality. In the near term, the big mobile phone companies believe that new nanoscale coatings and materials will make thin phones stronger and more durable. In order to maximize the potential of nanoscale technologies for mobile devices, however, two challenges need to be overcome by industry: increasing the memory size of devices so that they can hold photos, music, and video, and finding a way to power these complex devices.