Small investors get another nanotech option…sort of
It’s hard for small investors to participate in nanotechnology. Harris & Harris has been one of the few options available. Now there’s another: Nanoventure N.V. ( machine translation of home page) has made an initial public offering on the Frankfurt exchange:
Eindhoven, June 13, 2006 – Nanoventure N.V. was successfully listed on the Open Market at the Frankfurt stock exchange today…
Nanoventure N.V. will position itself as an investment company focussing nano- and micro-system technologies as well as related technology areas. Nanotechnology is expected to have a significant technological and economic impact in the future and will have the potential to change processes and products in entire industries. Nanoventure N.V. aims to build a well-balanced portfolio of investment companies in all areas of nanotechnology such as nano-analytics, new materials and nano-structures.
All areas of nanotechnology — and micro-system technologies “as well as related technology areas”. So, they are being really specific here: nanotech, microtech, or related areas. Perhaps this isn’t a nanotech option for small investors after all…which is not to say that it isn’t a good investment. It may be great; it’s just not confined to nano. —Christine
June 29th, 2006 at 8:06 AM
It’s kind of sad–I’ve been intending to invest in nanotechnology for quite some time, but I keep procrastinating on the research. I suppose that’s in part due to my fascination with the notional/theoretical aspects thereof, especially 30 or more years down the road. Nanopowders and nanocoatings just don’t do it for me, I guess. I’m also very sensitive to the ethical aspects, so when I do get around to investing, I’ll need to thoroughly research all aspects of the companies in which I’ll invest. As a result, I’m less inclined to go for a blanket organization like the abovementioned. But, as you (Christine) said, it may still be a great (financially profitable, I assume) investment.
July 11th, 2006 at 3:17 AM
Hmmm. You’d be better off investing time and money in an intelligently organized libertarian movement in Alaska.
If you want nanotech proper to produce mass wealth (as opposed to mass death), you need a free (libertarian, objectivist) country first. Read “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress” “The Ominous Parallels” “No Treason: The Constitution of No Authority” “Atlas Shrugged” “Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal” “Freedom’s Fall in Hong Kong” etc…
What artilect (created by a nanotech singularity) would tolerate all the silly rules we’ve made that violate individual rights? Answer: none. It might contrl us, it might ignore us. If an ignorant government (and they all are) attacks it (initiates force), it WILL retaliate (as all super-fit organisms do).
It would be like a hornet’s nest attacking a man with a flamethrower. If however, an artilect is born into a free society, it might choose to compete voluntarily and eschew force. This would be a better way to give a superior intellignece what it wants. That way, we don’t necessarily need to part with our lives.
Just a suggestion.
-Jake