| On behalf of Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell, Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Yablonsky today announced that Josh Wolfe, the renowned national authority on the nanotechnology industry, will deliver the keynote address at "The Business of Nano: Pennsylvania Nanotechnology Conference 2004" to be held May 25-26 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. The conference is the Commonwealth's second major gathering on nanotechnology and is expected to attract more than 300 scientists, researchers, company representatives, students, investors and service providers already working in nanotechnology or assessing entry into the field. More than 30 companies have expressed interest in presenting nanotech products and research. The conference has more than 30 sponsors, including private enterprises, academic institutions and state, national and international organizations. Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of atoms and molecules to create new products and improve existing ones. Existing nano-based products include stain-proof fabrics, super-resilient tennis balls and high-efficiency fuel cells and are facilitating breakthroughs in electronics, pharmaceuticals and drug-delivery. "Nanotechnology will power the next generation of scientific progress, and Pennsylvania must invest early in this burgeoning field to reap its benefits," said Yablonsky. "The conference is just one example of how the Commonwealth is positioning itself to ensure it is a key player in this coming wave of development." Recently, "Small Times" magazine ranked Pennsylvania No. 7 "hot spot" state in nanotechnology in its listing of "The Top 10 Small Tech Hot Spot" states for 2004 because of the Commonwealth's "strengths in micro and nanotechnology plus its partnerships." Pennsylvania's 2003 ranking was No. 10. Josh Wolfe, a co-founder of The Nano Business Alliance, is also co-founder and managing partner of Lux Capital, a venture-capital firm focused on nanotechnology, and a Senior Associate of the Foresight Institute for Nanotechnology. Wolfe has established longstanding relationships with research-driven universities, research labs, technology entrepreneurs and business professionals. He is the author of the acclaimed Nanotech Report and Editor of the "Forbes/Wolfe Nanotech Report." "This fundamental technology will transform virtually every industrial sector over the coming decades," said Yablonsky. "The reasoning behind this conference is really basic science. If the right elements are brought together, you get positive results, which, in this case, is economic development and job growth for the Commonwealth." |