Sep 24 2008
Leading researchers and companies gathered in Copenhagen on September 23-25, 2008 for Europe's largest annual nanotechnology conference and exhibition to hear about latest research findings, to convey visions for the market impact of nanotechnology and to demonstrate commercial products and tools at the exhibition. The conference covered a range of topics, including energy, health, electronics, food, construction, water, investment and safety.
The event also highlighted the role of public funding agencies in addressing the global challenges of nanotechnology development such as safety and sustainable development. The global nanotechnology debate was co-moderated by Business Week technology correspondent Jennifer L. Schenker and Pekka Koponen, CEO of Spinverse. Panelists included Richard M. Russell, Deputy Director at Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), Executive Office of the President, USA, Christos Tokamanis, Head of the unit 'Nano and Converging Sciences and Technologies', European Commission, Kazunobu Tanaka, Fellow at Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Mikhail Kovalchuk, head of the Russian Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", and from China, Liu Yuwen, general manager of BioBay and vice president of Suzhou Ventures Group.
Among the over 800 participants and contributors at the conference were high-profile speakers such as Stuart Parkin, who leads development of a new type of computer memory at IBM; Tapani Ryhänen, head of strategic research at Nokia, Andre Geim, pioneering the use of a novel material with the potential to revolutionise electronics, Michael Egholm, CTO of 454 Biosciences, who is using nanotechnology to enable rapid gene sequencing, Flemming Besenbacher, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, iNANO, Aarhus University and Thomas Bjørnholm from Nanoscience Center, Copenhagen University and many others.
Nanotech Northern Europe 2008 featured also leading companies including Nokia, Hewlett-Packard, Vestas, Samsung, Fujitsu, Merck, ABB, BASF, Bayer, and Unilever.
"What a conference! We are proud to have gathered so many of the leading researchers and companies working with nanotechnology from all over the world. The knowledge-sharing that is happening here will accelerate development of nanotechnology, and will strengthen the position of Denmark and Europe," says Pekka Koponen, CEO of Spinverse - the lead organizer of the conference.
Large-scale public sector investment has stimulated the development of nanotechnology over recent years. Governments invested over $6 billion in nanotechnology in 2007, and private sector funding has only recently overtaken public-sector investment.
Nanotech Northern Europe, is co-hosted by the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, iNANO, the Nanoscience Center, Copenhagen University, the Technical University of Denmark and Lund University. The lead organiser of the event is Spinverse.
For more information on partners and Nanotech Northern Europe, visit www.nanotech.net.