Mar 15 2013
The 6th biannual conference, EuroNanoForum 2013, will gather experts and decision-makers of the nanotechnology community to Dublin this June. EuroNanoForum 2013 is the largest nanotechnology conference in Europe and will focus on the impact of nanotechnology in improving people’s lives, especially in the key societal sectors such as health, energy and environment. The event coincides with Nanotech Europe exhibition and the Nanoweek Ireland.
Impact of nanotechnology in improving people’s lives
“The conference showcases innovation as a driver of economic growth. New technologies arising from nano-science and their applications are presented and potential new end products are discussed”, describes Herbert von Bose, Director, European Commission, DG Research & Innovation, Industrial Technologies.
The EuroNanoForum is a must for companies looking to exploit or learn how to exploit the latest nanotechnology developments, as well as an opportunity for researchers to discuss their visions for European industries and research in the future.
Nanotechnology and nano-materials have already made significant inroads to a vast range of applications and are used in everything from everyday applications to the lifesaving - from sunscreen to chemical catalysts which keep carpets stain free, to antibacterial agents and ground-breaking nanoparticle screening which detects changes in a person’s immune system that reflect the presence of cancer and infection to increasing energy efficiency in processes and products in industry and everyday life.
This is only the beginning. Nanotechnology has been earmarked as one of Europe’s Key Enabling Technologies and will feature prominently in the forthcoming EU funding programme Horizon 2020, which will, amongst other things, strengthen the socially responsible development of nanotechnologies.
The conference will showcase nanotechnology innovations to 1,200 delegates from 50 countries with high profile speakers from industry, government and research, such as Shell, Nokia Research Laboratories, Intel, Philips Healthcare and Max-Planck Institute among others, discussing the economic and technological impact of nanotechnologies on European growth. On top of the substantial conference programme, the event will also provide a platform for innovative demos and prototypes of nanotechnologies to delegates and media.
Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, says the EuroNanoForum is a great opportunity to showcase industry innovations and expertise to nanotechnology experts from all over the world. “Enterprise Ireland is delighted to be organising the EuroNanoForum in Ireland during the presidency of the European Council,” he commented. “Innovation is critical for economic growth and nanotechnology is a sector which offers endless possibilities. The focus of EuroNanoForum will strengthen the all-important link between industry and academia – a link that will ultimately help to underpin Ireland’s economic recovery”.
Leonard Hobbs, leader of European nanotechnology research program at Intel, states ”the decision to host such a major event in Ireland is a testament to the excellent nanotechnology cluster which now exists in Ireland, as represented most notably by the CRANN center at Trinity College Dublin and the Tyndall center at University College Cork. Intel has been an active collaborator in both centers for a number of years and has developed some key learnings in technologies which could extend Moore’s law into the next decade”.
The Convention Centre Dublin is set to become an innovation hub during the three day conference. Commenting on what to expect Pekka Koponen, CEO of Spinverse Ltd says, “Europe’s leading companies and researchers are showcasing their innovations at the event. Participants range from global leaders like Intel to fast-growing companies such as thin-film innovator Beneq. All understand that next stage of innovation is driven by partnerships that are created right here. I am happy also to see so many national and regional clusters representing their members, promoting their exports and attracting foreign investment”.
The Nanotech Europe exhibition will host a market place engaging clusters, companies, start-ups and spin-offs as well as technology transfer organisations, universities, EU-projects and EU-institutions. There will also be a special Irish Showcase for innovative Irish companies and the Magical Materials Exhibition showcasing the properties of a range of interesting materials at the cutting edge of materials science.
The conference is organised by Enterprise Ireland and Spinverse Ltd and supported by the European Commission Directorate for Research and Innovation.