Nanotechnology and Biotechnology Unite

Can you believe it? Nanotechnology and biotechnology are conspiring to work together. That's what the ETC Group in Winnipeg is telling us. Most everyone knows what biotechnology is. How about nanotechnology? Nanotechnology is the application of materials, devices,and systems on a scale of nanometers--very, very tiny devices. Go here if you want to read about nanometer-scale metrology.

What does the ETC Group report say? Here are a couple clips from the new report.

"The first and greatest impact of nano-scale technologies may come with the merger of nanotech and biotech – a newly recognized discipline called nanobiotechnology. While Gray Goo has grabbed the headlines, self-replicating nanobots are not yet possible. The more likely future scenario is that the merger of living and nonliving matter will result in hybrid organisms and products that end up behaving in unpredictable and uncontrollable ways – get ready for “Green Goo!”

"Roughly one-fifth (21%) of nanotech businesses in the USA are currently focusing on nanobiotechnology for the development of pharmaceutical products, drug delivery systems and other healthcare-related products. The US National Science Foundation predicts that the market for nano-scale products will reach $1 trillion per annum by 2015. As with biotech before it, nanotech is also expected to have a major impact on food and agriculture."

What is the venture capital community saying at this point about nano-anything? Nano, nano...we have a long way to go before commercial products will be ready. Yes, some are investing in nanotechology research companies, but most are sitting on the sidelines for now. Read what Venture Economics has to say.