Hi All,

I did a "thing" on nanotech on the old egolians forum. I've maintained a Nano watchlist which has come alive over the last month. Many commentators think that nano will be the next big thing!

A search of this forum only scored 1 hit on it at a heart pump (LVAD) conference. Which underscores the fact "nano tech" is a new enabling science with applications from medical to materials.

I remember reading about micro-devices and nano theory in Scientific American magazines 20 years ago. This science is now coming to fruition at an explosive rate. I think there was a dedicated nanoinvestment website.

Point being, this is a very large area of niche technology research which could be approached by pooled investment research via this site. We have half a dozen ASX listed companies involved in nano applications.

Any takers?

Cheers M

Mutt
Please list the Aussie listed companies who are involved in nano tech . thanks eG

Good thread mutt, I've posted on Psivida before, It may well be at the
forefront of this technology.

jonno, they are all at the front of this technology, but it is speculative and nobody burns cash like researchers. so I sort of favour those with "pedigree" connections, ie big money (like Dow Corning) close by.

egilmore, http://www.nanoinvestornews.com lists six Australian companies. the three public companies are

EIF
PSD
SPL

I'd put these three in the first tier of nano stocks.

Second tier would be companies which could use this technology in their production and/or processes
VCR
PTD ?
ATR ? Zircon?
most drug companies,
most chemical / powder & coating companies,

I noticed Uncle Sam is giving nanotech $37B. One company even has a radiation material to protect against terrorism. fascinating stuff!!!

Commercialisation of this technology is just as hard as any biz. Though the patents seem more free flowing. Their business is done on a B2B basis, ie other technology businesses are their customers. So it is very much an investment in INTELLECTUAL capital. Different.

Speak of the devil.

First one on the list announced an inhaleable insulin (development study) today. They won't need to find customers or market this, as they have been signed by an undisclosed US drug company. I think this could be bigger than MMD, once the market picks up on this very small (nano) company.

A very, very happy mutt.

thanks mutt, I picked up some eiffel today. It does indeed look interesting. Diabetes is becoming the scourge of the western world, with our lifestyle
playing a major role. regret not buying psd, just thought (wrongly) that it
would fall back

G'day mutt, EIF announced a govt. grant today to fund R&D. I know you
disagreed with vcr getting any further grants, but it's a tough one isn't it!
If no govt $ are made available, much of this research couldn't happen.
Perhaps there should be a condition that the grant is paid back if the research leads to commercialization. If the co. is eventually taken over by
an overseas co. the research dollars are effectiveley leaving Aust.

Yeah Johnno I saw that at 12:45 and started putting together a post - "A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM"

Oh well, 2.2 over three years is hardly more than a tax deduction. I wonder if I or the market would feel differently about it if it was from Bill Gates or Warren Buffett.

Technologically, it was interesting to be granted on the same day, "needle companies were lobbying the Government for legal changes to syringes". I hate needles, so naturally prefer inhalleable and transdermal drug delivery. Another good reason for smoking.

As regards VCR. To be fair I did say there were "other ways a Govt could help" & I didn't say "flounder", I said "merit". Besides, VCR is a much bigger fish than EIF and looking at the recent VCR top20 it is already an institutional play. I was also surprised not to see any of our forum regulars in the top20 list for VCR.

I'll donate any obscene winfall from EIF to a worthy cause. My wife, a nurse, also got a needlestick injury the other day. (all clear).

Cheers

Mutt re Grants for R & D
Australian Gross Domestic Product ( Income ) is nearly $400 billion pa out which
social security grants is about $60 billions .
At least the former goes potentially to reasearch and development which should support humanity ... just a different point of view .cheers eG

g'day mutt, glad that your wife is ok. You know that technology is the most
exciting area to learn about & is therefore the most exciting to invest in.
Beats the hell out of hoping an exploration play comes up with a winner, &
as eg says humanity wins as well.
Interesting also that this section is so seldom visited or posted on.
For instance the ventra assist technology is probably the most posted subject on the forum (not in this section)
While the punters are chasing their penny dreadfull's there are some great
things happening.
Once again, thanks for eiffel. If eif issuccessful with it's technology of drug delivery it will be the next good thing!
Lastly, I wonder if vcr is into nano tech for it's battery application. I notice
that a co in USA is developing a battery which doesn't need re-charging.

I have once read a scientific article that actually NANO bears intrinsically so much danger that it could potentially destruct life on earth and beyond .Unfortunately never kept a copy of and cannot trace it on google either . cheers eG

in a lot of nano stories,the basis is often in speculative science fiction short stories,from the pulp style soft cover american magazines[must hit ebay again for some back issues] there was a famous one a while back about self replicating nanomachines that transformed matter into more nanomachines until all matter on earth had been turned into the famous 'grey goo' . try 'self replicating nanomachines' or 'grey goo' on google-a lot of the stories were written by well informed,enquiring and speculative[though undeniably nerdish] minds