Finland invests 80 million euros in nanotechnology

Tekes writes "The Technology Agency of Finland, Tekes launches FinNano technology programme on 1st January 2005. The total duration of the programme is five years, 2005 ñ 2009. The costs of the programme are Ä 45 million, including Ä 25 million in research funding, and Ä 20 million in corporate financing. Tekesí programme forms one part of the Finnish national nanotechnology programme. Tekes and the Academy of Finland have planned to spend Ä55 million to ensure that Finnish industry can study and exploit nanosciences and nanotechnologies. Industry is expected to invest Ä25 million to projects in FinNano programme. FinNano technology programme will fund industry, universities and other research organisations. The idea of the nanotechnology programme is to study, exploit and commercialise nanoscale systems and phenomena occurring on a nanoscale. Nanotechnology is horizontal and enabling and is associated with a minimum of three things: scale, functionality and the controllability of nanostructure. The approach is genuinely multidisciplinary. The programme will focus in three areas: 1. Innovative nanostructured materials 2. Nanosensors and nanoactuators 3. New nanoelectronics solutions The core objectives of the FinNano technology programme are to:

1. strengthen existing research in the field;
2. step up the economic utilisation of research data by transforming research results into technology and products and to strengthen and accelerate the commercial development of nanotechnology;
3. support national and international networking and researcher mobility;
4. promote participation by Finnish researchers, research institutions and enterprises in the European Union's nanotechnology research and development programmes, and
5. foster efficient and synergetic use of resources and infrastructures.

In addition to funding promising research projects, the goals are to encourage enterprises to see the potential of nanotechnology and ensure that there emerge good prerequisites for exploiting nanotechnology applications. An initial call for project proposals under the Tekesí programme is now open. All projects will be expected to demonstrate that they are using nanotechnologies to make a step-change in industrial capabilities with a view to meeting specific industrial needs across a wide range of sectors.

Further information about the programme and the call for proposals can be obtained on the programme website www.tekes.fi/ohjelmat/nano (though it is in Finish) or by contacting the Programme Manager, Dr Markku Lämsä (e-mail: markku.lamsa@tekes.fi).

24 November, 2004, Source: www.tekes.fi