Nanotechnology in Germany
The success of nanotechnology in Germany is based on a large cast of players in business, science and government, in other words, on a substantial public and private commitment.
Governmental funding
The most important promoter of nanotechnology in Germany is the Federal Ministry of Research and Education (BMBF). Since the late 1980s, the BMBF has been funding nanotechnology research activities in the contexts of its Materials Research and Physical Technologies programmes. Today, many projects related to nanotechnology are supported through a considerable number of specialized programmes. Examples include Materials Innovations for Industry and Society (WING), IT Research 2006, the Optical Technologies Sponsorship Programme and the Biotechnology Framework Programme. From 1998 to 2004, the volume of funded joint projects in nanotechnology has quadrupled to about 120 million EURO. In addition to BMBF-funded research, project-related investments are also financed by the Ministry of Economics and Employment (BMWA) with a sum of about 25 million EURO annually.
Networks
In 1998, the BMBF established six competence centres to improve the organizational infrastructure and to optimise the conditions for bringing potential users and nanotechnology researchers together. Meanwhile, nine competence centres have begun or continued their work as nationwide, subject-specific networks with regional clusters in the most important areas of nanotechnology. Besides the competence centres that are directly supported by the BMBF, several other networks have evolved that pursue different goals and are therefore differently structured.
Universities
Nearly all German universities with a technical and scientific programme of studies are conducting R&D related to nanotechnology. At the same time, growing emphasis is given to developing an interdisciplinary understanding of the relationships in various areas of this field. At several universities, nanotechnology courses of study have already been established that are closely linked to current research topics.
Public Research Centers
In Germany, institutional research in nanotechnology outside the universities is pursued by the four large research associations: MPG (Max Planck Society), FhG (Fraunhofer Society), HGF (Helmholtz Association of National Research Centres), and WGL (G.W. Leibniz Science Association). These associations maintain numerous research establishments or working groups whose range of activities includes nanotechnology research. What is more, these partners are also integrated into many collaborative research programmes and priority
programs of the DFG (German Research Foundation).
Enterprises
The players in the nanotechnology field in Germany also include several hundred industrial companies. These comprise many large corporations such as Infineon, DaimlerChrysler, Schott, Carl Zeiss, Siemens, Osram, Degussa, BASF, Bayer, Metallgesellschaft and Henkel but also numerous small and midsized enterprises which are mainly concerned with production, analysis and equipment-related technologies usually in niche markets. Important players in nanotechnology in Germany also include many start-up companies (including spin-offs of universities and research institutes) such as Nano-X, ItNNanovation, NanoSolution, Capsulution and so on. In addition to companies specialising in the production of nanomaterials, there are many others that are active in nanostructuring (such as Aixtron, NaWoTec, Team Nanotech, Nanosensors) or nanoanalytics (including Omicron Nanotechnologies, IoNTOF, NanoAnalytics, Nanotype, SIS and NanoTools).
Financing
The financing sector includes all kind of outside financing from Venture Capital Companies, Business Angels, privately or public owned Associated Companies, banks etc. Beside public funding programmes outside capital is an important factor for innovation processes in nanotechnology.
Further information / links
Nanotechnology sponsorship of the BMBF
http://www.bmbf.de/de/nanotechnologie.php
Nanotechnology portal of the VDI-TZ
www.nanonet.de
Nanotech companies in Germany
www.nanoingermany.org
Nanotruck - The journey into the nano-cosmos
www.nanotruck.net
Internet travel adventure beyond the decimal point
www.nanoreisen.de
Database on nanotechnology products
www.nanotech-data.com
European Nanotechnology Portal
www.nanoforum.org
Nanotechnology portal of the EU
www.cordis.lu/nanotechnology
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