Transcript Dual Support Reform

Nanotechnology:
A UK Perspective
Sir Keith O’Nions
Director General of Science and Innovation
Bangalore Nano
6th December 2007
A New Frontier
•
From science fiction to
science fact
•
New industries being
created and old ones
transformed
•
A global opportunity:
predicted world market
of >$1 trillion by 2015
Across disciplines
•
The distinction between micro and nano technology is
fading fast
•
Nanotechnology is of all disciplines and of none:
– Biotechnology
– Nanomedicine
– Computer chips
– Materials
– Nanomanufacturing and
printing
A global opportunity
•
Every country is grasping the opportunity in
different ways
•
Truly a global revolution
•
Not a zero-sum game –
each country should play
to its strengths
Nanotechnology in
the UK
Research Field
Bionanotechnology
Nanomanufacturing
Nanomedicine
Nanotoxicology
World Ranking (2005)
•
Annual UK research funding ≈ £100m
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23 centres established to promote commercialisation
•
>1400 companies active in nanotechnology
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Over €3.4bn under EU Framework Programme 7
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UK Nanotechnology
Centres
SemeMEMS
Safenano
KNT - Photonix
INEX
Fluence
NanoCentral
Materials Solutions
Centre for Micro & Nano Moulding
UK-LMC
Eminate
BegbrokeNano
CEMMNT
Qudos National Prototyping Facility
Dolomite
BondCentre
Cambridge Nanoscience
MicroBridge
& metaFab
The Bio Nano Centre
MNT@BAES-ATC
Comina
NanoForce
Technology
A thriving venture
capital industry
•
UK accounts for ≈ 1/3 of all venture capital in Europe
Investment Value
(millions of Euros)
Other
28%
UK
31%
Germany
8%
Ireland
8%
Spain
9%
France
16%
Europe total: €5.5bn
Standards and
Metrology
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Metrology crucial to support this
field
Research emphasised by NPL
– New techniques developed
to measure the size and
number distributions of
nanoparticles and the
surface to core chemistry
of nanoparticles
UK set up and chaired ISO
Technical Committee on
nanotechnology
Environment and
Safety
•
As with any new technology, important to
provide assurance to the public that it is safe
•
Health and environmental issues must be
considered – and provide opportunities for
innovation
•
Public engagement and dialogue a core duty of
any Government
Nano examples
•
Thomas Swan
– World leader in manufacture of carbon
nanotubes (£21m turnover)
•
Oxonica
– Exports fuel-based catalyst to the
Philippines
– New equity offer last month raised £4.2m
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University of Birmingham
– Ground breaking research
– Paramagnetic nanospheres as drug
delivery systems
Plastic Electronics
•
>£200m invested by Government, industry and private
equity
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>30 companies with world-class benchmarked R&D
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Plastic Logic
– Spun out of Cambridge
in 2000
– $100m of equity finance
raised
– Flexible displays
– Production capacity of
over one million
units/year in 2008
Nanotechnology:
A UK Perspective
Sir Keith O’Nions
Director General of Science and Innovation
Bangalore Nano
6th December 2007