2nd Annual NANO Week Celebration Underway in Cleveland

Sell Out Crowd Attends Three-Day Nano-App Summit; Week to Close With Announcement of Winners of Nano Business Competitions

CLEVELAND, Oct. 17 -- Hundreds of scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, and business executives are in Cleveland, Ohio this week to explore how nanotechnology, the smallest of technologies, is having a real impact on products and processes in the materials and manufacturing industries during NANO Week, October 17-21.

The Nano-Network, the Ohio based nanotechnology educational, networking and advocacy organization is the primary sponsor for NANO Week events. "Nanotechnology and its applications will have a profound impact on our future," said Mark Brandt, founder of the Nano-Network and Managing Partner of The Maple Fund, a venture capital firm that invests in emerging technologies. "Nanotechnology is often referred to as a 'disruptive technology' because it has the potential to dramatically effect how we work, live and play. NANO Week 2005 will explore exactly how we can apply this technology to make more innovative and effective products."

A full schedule of NANO Week events is available at http://www.nano-network.org/ .

NANO Week opened today with the Nano-App Summit, which runs through Wednesday, October 19. The sold-out conference focuses on applications of nanotechnology in the aerospace, automotive and consumer products industries. This event has drawn attendees mostly from Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania, but some from as far away as Singapore, Taiwan, Israel and the United Kingdom.

Presenters at the conference include nanotechnology thought leaders and experts from the Office of Naval Research, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, the Air Force Research Laboratory, GE Global Research Center, Ford Motor Company, PPG, Goodyear Tire Company, General Motors, Procter and Gamble, 3M, Cabot Corporation, NanoDynamics and others. Presenters will discuss how they are using nanotechnology to improve and evolve current products and processes.

Northeast Ohio is home to a number of leading nanotech companies that will be participating in the Nano-App Summit including Nanofilm, Ltd., Five Star Technologies and Ecology Coatings, all of which are using nanotechnology to develop next generation products.

"NANO Week is putting Ohio on the map as a nanotechnology hot spot. We've created an international level conference focused on a broad spectrum of nanotechnology topics, including Nanotech University classes for early-stage entrepreneurs to informative industry track sessions focused on nano-enabled products for traditional manufacturers in the aerospace, automotive and consumer products industries," said Chris Mather, executive director of the Nano-Network and vice president of NorTech, a technology based economic development organization in Northeast Ohio.

"Nanotechnology is changing the world and NANO Week is helping change the way people think about nanotechnology," said Stan Theobald, Managing Director of ASM International and co-sponsor of the Nano-App Summit and International and North Coast Nanotechnology Business Idea Competition. Theobald continued, "Companies are successfully applying nanotechnology and we are beginning to see the proof in terms of nano-enabled processes and products."

The week continues on Thursday, October 20 with the Nanotechnology Manufacturers' Forum set to explore nanotechnology applications in the traditional manufacturing industry. Lieutenant Governor Bruce Johnson is scheduled to give opening remarks and welcome attendees. The Emerging Technology Forum "Liquid Crystals and Polymers in Advanced Display and Photonic Applications" is also scheduled for Thursday.

On Friday the winners of the 2nd Annual International and North Coast Nanotechnology Business Idea Competitions will be announced at Case Western Reserve University. Contest winners will be awarded a total of $150,000 in prize money for the most innovative business ideas incorporating nano-enabled products.

The Microsystems and Nano Economic Summit will close NANO Week on Friday by highlighting economic trends in the MEMS and nanotechnology industries, as well as ways to use this technology to increase revenue. The keynote speech will be presented by Dr. Michael Postek, Leader of the Nanoscale Metrology Group, Precision Engineering Division of the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory at NIST.

About the Nano-Network

The Nano-Network was formed by scientists, entrepreneurs and financiers to improve and expand nanotechnology research and commercialization activities and capacities in Northeast Ohio, and throughout the nation. More information about the Nano-Network is available at http://www.nano-network.org/ .