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Nano-Network wants to boost development
By Paula Schleis Beacon Journal business writer
Published on Thursday, Oct 25, 2007
A regional nanotechnology group says it's time to think bigger.
That means helping institutions and companies speed up the research-to-commercialization process and possibly taking its mission statewide, according to a strategic planning exercise by Nano-Network, the Northeast Ohio group sponsoring this week's national Nano App Summit in Cleveland.
The young group shared an analysis of its past work and future potential with a Nano App Summit audience this week, asking for input on how it should evolve.
Nano-Network started as a grass-roots effort in 2003, using a speaker series to bring together manufacturers, investors and scientists studying at the nanoscale or atom-size level.
After the group was adopted by the economic development group NorTech, its list of activities expanded. It organized a public policy tour to Washington, established a fellowship to offer technical consulting services, produces an annual national conference and hosts regular manufacturer forums.
''So while we started by getting people into a room to see what happens, we've really grown beyond that,'' said Nano-Network director Alexis Abramson.
With a grant from the Generation Foundation, Nano-Network's recent self-analysis took a look at the state and region's place in the Midwest.
Ohio was found to rank third in the number of nanotechnology research articles published, behind Illinois and Pennsylvania. And Northeast Ohio's institutions published at least twice as frequently as any other area in the state.
But when it comes to turning research into patents, Ohio slips one spot (giving way to Michigan) and Northeast Ohio falls behind Central Ohio.
''What it says is, even though they are behind us in publications, they are transferring the research into technology more frequently than us,'' she said.
That insight suggests commercialization should become a new priority for the Nano-Network, Abramson said.
''Probably getting people together is not enough,'' she said. ''Nano-Network should encourage programs that inform researchers about technology transfer and connect them with companies.''
One option is to expand statewide.
''If we could find a way to cross-pollinate regionally, we could be a real powerhouse in nanotechnology,'' she said. ''By coming together in a statewide nano-type initiative, we could better attract investments, talent and technologies.''
That would require finding some money, logically from the state.
''There are other models we could look toward, like charging members a fee and trying to run the organization that way, but part of the strategic plan showed us how other state models look,'' Abramson said, ''and the most successful are supported . . . by the state.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com.
A regional nanotechnology group says it's time to think bigger.
Get the full article here.
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