making sense of nanotechnology in alberta gary albach executive director nanoalberta nano tech 2009...

Making Sense of Making Sense of Nanotechnology in AlbertaNanotechnology in AlbertaGary AlbachExecutive DirectornanoAlberta

Nano Tech 2009Tokyo, JapanFebruary, 2009

Agenda

♦ Why is this happening now?

♦ What are the goals for the next 10 years?

Alberta (Canada) is rapidly becoming a world leader in the field of nanotechnology.

About Alberta (Canada)

♦ Alberta - one of the 10 Provinces in Canada

♦ Population – 3.5 million

♦ Traditional Industries – Oil and gas, Agriculture, Forest products, Manufacturing

♦ Emerging Industries – MEMS, Advanced Materials, Geomatics, Remote Sensing, Food Processing

Today in Alberta

♦ Nanotech companies: ~50 ♦ Employment: ~1000♦ Public investment: ~$500M (past 5 years)

♦ Nanotech Researchers: ~1000

3 Commercial Priorities …

1.1. Energy/EnvironmentEnergy/Environment2.2. HealthHealth3.3. Agriculture/ForestryAgriculture/Forestry

… for Alberta’s Nanotechnology

Alberta Nanotechnology Strategy

Industrial Strategy announced in 2007Industrial Strategy announced in 2007♦ Funding: $130M♦ Vision: “Alberta will be a leading

contributor in placing Canadaamongst the top 5 nationstop 5 nationsin the world …”

““$20 billion of new economic activity by 2020$20 billion of new economic activity by 2020 –

- from nano enabled products and applications specific to industries in:♦ EnergyEnergy and EnvironmentEnvironment♦ HealthHealth Technologies, and ♦ BioindustryBioindustry sectors”

Alberta Nanotechnology Strategy

1. Grow and develop a new generation of new generation of businesses and entrepreneursbusinesses and entrepreneurs to commercialize nanotechnology solutions

2.2. Build, attract and retain world-class talentBuild, attract and retain world-class talent

3. Continue to enhance Alberta’s superior superior technology infrastructuretechnology infrastructure

Strategy Overview

Collaborate with industry to create new commerce in:Energy & Environment, Health & Medical Technologies, Agriculture & Forestry

Create an Industrial Partnership Program (‘nanoWorks’) to fund nanotechnology research initiatives jointly with industry.

Establish programs to engage students from technical institutions.

Create a Nano-Entrepreneur Program

Strategy One

New generation of businesses and entrepreneurs

Build, attract and retain world-class, quality talent

Establish a graduate student scholarship program for basic and applied nanotechnology research

Expand training capacity to meet the industry requirements for growth.

Recruit and retain world-class research, product design and management talent to Alberta.

Increase nanotechnology awareness and hands-on learning opportunities in K-12 programs

Strategy Two

Infrastructure and intellectual capital

Build and operate an open-use product development centre for entrepreneurs and industry partners: ACAMP

Enhance the capability and capacity of key facilities: NanoFab (UofA), AMIF (UofC)

Increase the operating budget for MSTRI (Microsystems Technology Research Initiative) prototype development activities

Create an operating support program to ensure the ongoing operation of necessary equipment for core facilities.

Strategy Three

NanoAlberta facilitates collaborative efforts. facilitates collaborative efforts.♦ With a focus on ProductsProducts and Applications Applications ♦ Ensures strong Industry ParticipationIndustry Participation♦ Leverages Existing InvestmentsExisting Investments♦ Builds on existing and emerging strengthsBuilds on existing and emerging strengths

nanoAlberta

Delivering theAlberta Nanotechnology Strategy

Building on Strengths

1. A well planned DirectionDirection for nanotechnology (Alberta Nanotechnology Strategy - www.nanoalberta.ca)

2. Committed FundingFunding to carry out the Strategy3. A talented pool of PeoplePeople (University of Alberta)

4.4. NINTNINT (National Institute for Nanotechnology at the UofA)

5. A CultureCulture of Entrepreneurship

Alberta has:

‘The only debt-free jurisdiction in North America’

National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT)National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT)• $120M initial investment

Informatics Circle of Research Excellence (iCORE)Informatics Circle of Research Excellence (iCORE)• Attracting top 5% highly quality people (HQP) in the world.

Alberta Heritage Foundation for MedicalAlberta Heritage Foundation for MedicalResearch (AHFMR)Research (AHFMR)• $1.5B to support medical researchers

Alberta Ingenuity FundAlberta Ingenuity Fund• $1.0B to support science and engineering.

Building on Prior Investments

EntrepreneursEntrepreneurs• Alberta Ingenuity • TECEdmonton• University Technologies International (UTI)• Calgary Technologies Inc. (CTI)

Risk CapitalRisk Capital• $100M Alberta Enterprise Fund• Alberta SR&ED credit

Building on People

Alberta Landscape

NINTNINT (National Institute for Nanotechnology)

CEINCEIN (Center of Excellence for Integrated NanoTools)

MSTRIMSTRI (Microsystems Technology Research Initiative)

AMIFAMIF (Advanced Microsystems Integration Facility)

ACSESACSES (Alberta Center for Surface Engineering & Science)

CIHMCIHM (Center for Intelligent Health Monitoring)

INRFINRF (Integrated Nanosystems Research Facility)

Protein Gene Discovery Centre

Institute for Biomolecular Design

NanoFabNanoFab (Open Access Fabrication Facility)

CONNECT – Bringing Technology to Market

$178M Action Plan for 5 years:♦ $100 million venture capital♦ Technology Development Advisors♦ Innovation Vouchers for technology development services♦ Product development centres♦ Demonstration fund for testing new products♦ Pre-commercial and seed stage fund♦ Youth entrepreneurship in technologies ♦ Additional 10% provincial tax credit for R&D

National Institute for Nanotechnology

NINT

♦ CornerstoneCornerstone for Alberta to achieve its Nano Strategy♦ Inclusive joint initiativeInclusive joint initiative between:

– National Research Council of Canada (NRC)– University of Alberta (UofA)– Government of Alberta (GoA)

Alberta Centre For Advanced MNT Products

♦ Packaging and product development ♦ MEMS, Bio and ICT♦ Integrates existing infrastructure ♦ Channels to market ♦ Low volume manufacturing and device packaging

ACAMP

Hewlett-Packard Alberta Collaboration ResearchFocused on advanced computing techniques, nanoscalesensors, and 3-D videoconferencing

IBM Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS)Focused on machine intelligence, nanotechnology, and biologicalsimulation

Centre of Excellence in Integrated NanotoolsFocused on developing microchips, microsystems, and nanodevices

Xerox NINT Collaborative Research LabsFocused on materials-based nanotechnologies, including documentand display-related technologies

Partnerships

Thank you

Gary AlbachExecutive DirectornanoAlberta

5th Floor, Phipps McKinnon Building10020 – 101A AvenueEdmonton, ABCanada T5J 3G2T +1.780.415.9824C +1.780.908.6904www.nanoalberta.ca