Nanotechnologie - Noch kann man einsteigen :-)

Und sagt hinterher bitte nicht, hätten wir das vorher gewusst...

Ich bin mir ziemlich sicher, dass Nano der nächste große Hype wird.
Im Gegensatz zu den Biotechunternehmen gibt es keine Behörde, die aufwendige Prüfverfahren vor der Zulassung fordert. Nach Lizensierung wird sofort Geld verdient.

Wahrscheinlich werden nächstes Jahr etliche Nanounternehmen versuchen einen Börsengang zu starten.
Bis jetzt hält man sich wegen der allgemein unsicheren wirtschaftlichen Lage noch zurück - wenn das erste IPO in die Hose geht, wäre es fatal für die Branche.

Wer etwas mittelfristig denkt (2 Jahre?) sollte zumindest überlegen, ob er nicht schon jetzt einen kleinen Depotanteil in Nano parken sollte...

Nur meine bescheidene Meinung.  

Folgend ein Beitrag aus dem Yahooboard von heute. Kann allerdings zur Zeit noch nicht überprüfen ob der Kauf tatsächlich stattfand.

Good morning all

Did anyone notice that 100,000 share purchase yesterday afternoon around noon ? Well Ian William Delaney bought 100,000 shares @ $3.85 on feb 9/2004 .

Insider name: Delaney, Ian William
Insider's Relationship to Issuer: 4 - Director of Issuer, 5 - Senior Officer of Issuer
Security designation: Common Shares
184131 2003-06-03 2004-02-09 Control or Direction :
I.W. Delanay Company Ltd. 00 - Opening Balance-Initial SEDI Report

184136 2004-02-09 2004-02-09 Control or Direction :
I.W. Delanay Company Ltd. 10 - Acquisition or disposition in the public market +100,000 3.8500 100,000

Cheers

The Bridgejumper  

Ich habe in den letzten Wochen verstärkt mal die Performance der Nano-Highflyer mit dem des Gesamtmarkt verglichen. Erstaunliches tritt da zu Tage:

Komischerweise wurden die Nanos an starken Tagen verkauft und oft wurden mehr als 4-5% Minus erzielt, obwohl z.B. Nasdaq und Co. fett im Plus lagen. Offensichtlcih waren das Gewinnmitnahmen, die vielleicht sofort in den gesamten Markt wieder investiert werden, damit man da auch noch mitspielen kann und auf den fahrenden Zug aufspringt.

An den schwachen Tagen der großen Indizes werden die Nanos zurückgekauft und liegen 4-5% im Plus. Das Geld wird als aus dem Gesamtmarkt abgezogen und dort investiert, wo man die Hoffnung hat, dass sich eine Branche vom Markt abkoppeln kann.

Das letzte Mal ist mir das bei der Logistik- Branche aufgefallen. DAX, Neuer Markt, DOW und Nasdaq waren schon Monate im Sinkflug und die Logistik- Branche, (z.B. Thiel, D.Logistic, Stinnes usw.) starten erst den Upmove.

Vielleicht läufts ja diesmal ähnlich - wohl dem, der nen S&P-Put und Nanos im Depot hat.


Fussball- Grüße

Boxenbauer  

psivida ist an 2 Stelle!!  

 

obducat bei 0,42 € sk. Dümpeln seit 1 Woche vor sich hin. Kaum Umsätze/ brauchen Treibstoff!
War nicht heute Bilanz 2003 mit Ausblick angekündigt? Weist Du was?
Gruß,
ZACC  

Wäre schade wenn dieser Thread durch so gehaltvolle Einzeiler unübersichtlich wird...
Und vor allem "Geheimtip"  :-)       Einmal herzlich gelacht.



Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense
 

 

Da kann man schon mal nachkaufen, wenns aufwärts geht als Insider!

Westaim Announces 2003 Year-End Results  


CALGARY, Feb 19, 2004 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) -- The Westaim Corporation
announced today that for the year ended December 31, 2003, it recorded a net
loss of $34.5 million, or 44 cents per share compared to a net loss of $49.8
million, or 64 cents per share, in the previous year. The results included
income from discontinued operations of $2.4 million in 2003 and losses from
discontinued operations of $10.7 million in 2002. Revenues from continuing
operations were $17.3 million in 2003 compared to $12.6 million in 2002.

For the three months ended December 31, 2003, the Company posted a net loss of
$17.7 million, or 23 cents per share, on revenues of $3.6 million compared to a
net loss of $9.4 million, or 12 cents per share, on revenues of $3.6 million in
the previous year. For the quarter, losses from discontinued operations were
$0.9 million in 2003 and $0.5 million in 2002.

The divisional loss from continuing operations for 2003 was $23.1 million,
compared to a loss of $24.7 million in 2002. This loss primarily reflects the
planned level of investment towards research and development in NUCRYST
Pharmaceuticals and iFire Technology, Westaim's technology divisions.

At December 31, 2003, Westaim had $68.1 million in cash and equivalents,
compared to $101.3 million in 2002. The Company has no debt. In January 2004,
Westaim sold its Westaim Ambeon division for $35 million, further adding to its
strong cash position.

"Westaim has made strategic decisions to both strengthen our balance sheet and
increase focus on our two high-potential technology divisions, iFire Technology
and NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals," said Barry M. Heck, President & CEO of Westaim.
"Last year we saw NUCRYST enter its first human trials for a new atopic
dermatitis drug and iFire successfully scale its proprietary flat panel display
to 34 inches in size."

Review of Operations:

iFire Technology made important advancements with both technology progress and
partner collaborations in 2003. Early in the year, iFire added Dai Nippon
Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) as a technology collaboration partner, and in 2004,
this relationship has expanded to include pilot production of 34-inch iFire (TM)
display modules to help iFire prove its low-cost manufacturing model. iFire's
other major technology collaboration partner, Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., has also
contributed to the technical progress of iFire's technology.

In early 2003, iFire progressed from its traditional triple-patterned red, green
and blue phosphors to the Color-by-Blue(TM) process where a single blue phosphor
and color conversion materials are used. This created improvements in the
display's performance and is projected to reduce future capital and production
costs by approximately 15 per cent. By the end of the year, iFire successfully
scaled its technology from 17 inches in size to 34 inches, the anticipated size
of its initial product. Collaborative work with its partners DNP and Sanyo
Electric, along with the new Color-by-Blue(TM) method made this accomplishment
happen faster than anticipated.

NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals entered an important new chapter as a pharmaceutical
company in 2003 when it began Phase 2 human clinical trials for its first drug
candidate, (NPI 32101) for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, or eczema, and
other skin conditions. The company believes that its nanocrystalline technology
with dual anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties addresses both the
inflammation associated with atopic dermatitis and the secondary infections that
often accompany the disease.

NUCRYST's profitable wound care division continued to grow in 2003 with revenue
of $16.2 million, compared to $8.3 million in 2002. The results for 2003 include
a US$3.0 million milestone payment from NUCRYST's wound care partner Smith &
Nephew plc for achievement of additional regulatory approvals in Europe.

Strategic Review:

In 2003 the Board completed a thorough, strategic review of the company and its
businesses. As disclosed in last year's information circular, a Strategic Review
Committee was formed to help facilitate this process. As part of this review,
the Board and the Strategic Review Committee worked with independent advisors,
including GMP Securities Ltd., who also acted as the exclusive financial advisor
for the sale of Ambeon, and CIBC World Markets. The review reaffirmed Westaim's
continued focus and commitment to iFire and NUCRYST. In its final report to the
Board of Directors of Westaim, the Strategic Review Committee reached a number
of recommendations and conclusions, which included:



      iFire Technology - The Committee believes that iFire has been, and

      continues to be, a significant opportunity for Westaim and that the

      continued support of iFire is justified. Although there are

      technology, manufacturing and marketing risks for the successful

      development by iFire of a commercial product, the magnitude of the

      potential rewards justifies Westaim's continued support.


      NUCRYST Pharmaceuticals - The Committee believes that the NUCRYST

      wound care business is a valuable asset and supports continuing to

      pursue further wound care opportunities with Smith & Nephew. Although

      monetizing the royalty stream of the wound care business is possible,

      the Committee concluded the value of this business could be

      substantially enhanced as the ability to achieve projected sales

      targets is proven. The Committee affirmed that NUCRYST should continue

      to fund its current Phase 2 human efficacy trials for atopic

      dermatitis. With respect to all other indications, the Committee

      recommends that NUCRYST's management continue to assess and develop

      its pharmaceutical strategy.

As disclosed in last year's information circular, the Board of Directors added
two new members who were nominated by some of the company's large institutional
shareholders. These new Board Members were Michael B.C. Davies and G. Wesley
Voorheis, both of whom were members of the Strategic Review Committee. Now that
the strategic review is complete, Mr. Davies and Mr. Voorheis have retired from
the Board. Westaim thanks them for their contribution. As recommended by the
Strategic Review Committee, Westaim's Board will commence a search for two new
independent Board members.

Shareholder Rights Plan:

Westaim also announced today that its Board of Directors has approved the
renewal of a shareholder rights plan designed to ensure the fair treatment of
shareholders in the event of a take-over offer for the common shares of Westaim.
This action has been taken as part of the Board's fiduciary responsibility to
shareholders and is not in response to any specific effort to acquire control of
the company. The plan is subject to regulatory approval, and must be ratified at
Westaim's next annual meeting of shareholders. Full details of the plan will be
included in the proxy circular that will be sent to all shareholders prior to
the annual meeting.

The plan will provide Westaim's Board of Directors and shareholders more time to
evaluate any unsolicited take-over bid and, if appropriate, to seek out other
alternatives to maximize shareholder value. The plan will be in effect for six
years, but must be reconfirmed by shareholders after a three- year period.

Under the plan, one right is issued and attaches to each outstanding common
share at no cost. Rights issued under the plan become exercisable only when a
person, including certain related persons, acquires or announces their intention
to acquire 20 per cent or more of Westaim's outstanding common shares without
complying with the "permitted bid" provisions of the plan or without the
approval of Westaim's Board. Should such an acquisition occur, each right, if
exercised, would entitle the holder, other than the acquiring person and persons
related to it, to purchase Westaim's common shares at a price equal to half
their current market value.

A "permitted bid" or offer for Westaim's common shares must be made to all
shareholders. The offer must remain open for at least 60 days and must be
accepted by a minimum of 50 per cent of the shares not already held by the
bidder. If this occurs, the bidder may take up and pay for tendered shares, but
must extend the offer for another 10 days. This will allow shareholders
sufficient time to consider the bid and any other available options. It also
gives Westaim's Board of Directors time to consider alternatives and make
recommendations to shareholders. Westaim's plan is similar to plans adopted by a
number of other Canadian companies.

About Westaim:

The Westaim Corporation's technology investments include: NUCRYST
Pharmaceuticals, which researches, develops and commercializes wound care and
pharmaceutical products based on its nanocrystalline silver technology; and
iFire Technology, which has developed a revolutionary low-cost flat panel
display. Westaim's common shares are listed on Nasdaq under the symbol WEDX and
on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol WED.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements, including but not
limited to those concerning technology progress, partner collaborations, pilot
production of display modules, anticipated size of initial display products,
product development, technology, manufacturing and marketing risks, potential
rewards of product development, and pharmaceutical strategy. These statements
are based on current expectations that are subject to risks and uncertainties,
and the Company can give no assurance that these expectations are correct.
Various factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those
projected in such statements, including the risk factors set forth in our Form
40-F as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company
disclaims any intention or obligations to revise forward-looking statements
whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. All
forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this
Cautionary Statement.



   

   THE WESTAIM CORPORATION

   Financial Highlights

   (unaudited)

   (thousands of dollars except per share data)


   --------------------------------------------------

                                                Twelve Months Twelve Months

                    Quarter Ended Quarter Ended         Ended         Ended

   Statement of      December 31,  December 31,  December 31,  December 31,

    Operations               2003          2002          2003          2002

   --------------------------------------------------


   Revenue              $   3,594     $   3,564     $  17,285     $  12,627

   Loss from continuing

    operations            (16,753)       (8,966)      (36,858)      (39,110)

   Net loss               (17,673)       (9,445)      (34,498)      (49,762)

   Loss per common share

    - basic & diluted

     Continuing

      operations            (0.21)        (0.11)        (0.47)        (0.50)

     Net loss               (0.23)        (0.12)        (0.44)        (0.64)

   Weighted average

    number of

    outstanding common

    shares (thousands)     78,073        78,033        78,045        77,924


   --------------------------------------------------


                                                Twelve Months Twelve Months

                    Quarter Ended Quarter Ended         Ended         Ended

                     December 31,  December 31,  December 31,  December 31,

                             2003          2002          2003          2002

   --------------------------------------------------

   Revenue

     Nucryst

      Pharmaceuticals   $   3,457     $   2,496     $  16,212     $   8,344

     iFire Technology           -         1,067           911         4,270

     Other                    137             1           162            13

   --------------------------------------------------

   Continuing

    operations          $   3,594     $   3,564     $  17,285     $  12,627

   --------------------------------------------------

   --------------------------------------------------

   Divisional Loss

     Nucryst

      Pharmaceuticals      (2,302)    $  (1,897)    $  (1,948)    $ (6,985)

     iFire Technology      (6,137)       (4,544)      (19,861)     (16,915)

     Other                   (215)         (218)       (1,284)        (841)

   --------------------------------------------------

   Continuing

    operations          $  (8,654)    $  (6,659)   $  (23,093)   $ (24,741)

   --------------------------------------------------

   --------------------------------------------------


   Balance Sheet                      December 31, 2003   December 31, 2002

   --------------------------------------------------

   Cash and short-term investments            $  68,137           $ 101,302

   Current assets                               107,767             145,167

   Other assets                                  37,139              39,016

   Current liabilities                           13,524              17,655

   Shareholders' equity                         123,818             158,214

   

   %SEDAR: 00002793E

VIEW ADDITIONAL COMPANY-SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/orgDisplay.cgi?okey=67476



CONTACT:          For further information: David Wills, Investor Relations,

                 (416) 504-8464, info(at)westaim.com, www.westaim.com;

                 To request a free copy of this organization's annual report, please go to

                 http://www.newswire.ca and click on reports(at)cnw


News release via Canada NewsWire, Calgary 403-269-7605  


Copyright (C) 2004 CNW, All rights reserved




 

The Top Ten Nanotech Products Of 2003
Robert Paull, The Forbes/Wolfe Nanotech Report, 12.29.03, 12:16 PM ET

1) High-Performance Ski Wax
Already in use by the pros on the Canadian National Ski Team, Cerax Nanowax is one of the world's first products made using chemical nanotechnology, which creates "intelligent" surface coatings with multifunctional properties. A polymer just like P-Tex, the material used in ski and snowboard bases, Nanowax produces a hard, fast-gliding surface. The ultrathin coating lasts much longer than conventional waxing systems, while leaving the base free of buildup. And here's the "intelligent" part: Cerax Nanowax hardens as temperatures drop, adapting to the ski bases and snow crystals, so you can reach top speed from the first few feet on. The result? Unique glide properties and unprecedented performance on turns. Developed by German-based company Nanogate and sold through Holmenkol (the oldest ski company in the world), Cerax Nanowax comes in different formulations for different snow sports, such as downhill or cross-country skiing, as well as experience levels and conditions. And it comes in a handy 1.69 fluid ounce (50 milliliters) applicator.

For more information: http://www.ceraxusa.com

2) Breathable Waterproof Ski Jacket
Our European readers might have an easier time getting their hands on Oberammergau, Germany-based Franz Ziener GmbH & Co.'s newest ski jackets with Nano-Tex enhancements. Nanotechnology makes the two-layer laminate windproof, waterproof, breathable and grime resistant--great for those bums who don't get around to washing their jackets until after the season. The result: a jacket with a long, functional life superior to coated jackets and competitive with Gore-Tex products. Don't be surprised to see these über-jackets popping up on haute couture mountains like Aspen, Jackson Hole and Sun Valley.

For more information: http://www.ziener.de

3) Wrinkle-Resistant, Stain-Repellent Threads
                    §
Eddie Bauer's Nano-Care comfort-waist corduroy pants and Kathmandu Tobin shirt.

For the spillers, spotters and stainers among us (you know who you are). Featured in our June 2002 "Nano Product Guide," Nano-Care fabric, made by Emeryville, Calif.-based Nano-Tex, is too exciting not to mention again. Nano-Tex researchers attached molecular structures to cotton fibers, forming a barrier that causes liquids and stains to bead up on the surface and prevent absorption. Treated fabrics are not only wrinkle-proof but repel stains from perennial offenders like soda, coffee, wine, mayonnaise and syrup. Similar to the popular waterproof coating Gore-Tex, Nano-Care is featured today in khaki, chino and corduroy pants for men and women made by Eddie Bauer, in Lee Jeans Performance Khaki by VFC/Lee (nyse: VFC - news - people ), in Old Navy Super-Khakis and in men's twill pants made for Bass Pro Shops. Even Tiger Woods, through his Nike (nyse: NKE - news - people ) clothing line, has chosen Nano-Care for his khaki golf pants.

For more information: http://www.nano-tex.com/products/where.htm

What do Hewlett-Packard, IBM, General Electric, DuPont and Intel have in common? All are investing in nanotechnology. To find out which nanotech stocks the Forbes/Wolfe Nanotech Report is buying now, click here.
4) Deep-Penetrating Skin Cream
Compared to conventional skin creams that sit on top of your skin, nanotechnology-enhanced cosmetic treatments penetrate deep beneath the surface and affect the base molecular layer. Take Plenitude Revitalift antiwrinkle cream by L'Oréal Paris, which introduced its first nanotechnology product in 1998. Plenitude uses a patented 200-nanometer nanotechnology process to incorporate vitamin A inside a polymer "capsule." The capsule acts like a sponge, soaking up and holding the cream inside until the outer shell dissolves under your skin. L'Oréal reports that of women surveyed who used the Revitalift technology, 80% reported antiwrinkle effectiveness, and 75% said the product was effective in firming skin.

For more information: http://www.lorealparis.co.uk/

5) World's First OLED Digital Camera
Digital cameras just got better, thanks to nanotech. As we first mentioned in March's "Nanodisplays: DuPont Takes On Kodak," organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are much brighter than the liquid crystals (LCDs) used in many of today's flat-screen TVs and computer monitors. They boast a wider viewing angle than LCDs, which must be viewed head-on. OLEDs don't require backlighting as LCDs do, reducing power consumption. The world's first digital camera with an OLED display, the 3.1-megapixel EasyShare LS633 zoom digital camera by Kodak (nyse: EK - news - people ), has a 2.2-inch screen that is up to 107% larger than the industry average of 1.5 inches.

For more information: http://www.kodak.com/eknec/...th=31&pq-locale=en_US&_requestid=309766

6) Nanotech DVD and Book Collection
No longer just the province of visionaries and geeks, nanotechnology is steadily making its way into our popular culture. Next time you reach for a book or DVD, try one of these and see if you can find the references from the nanosphere.



Don't miss the Nanotech Revolution! Forbes/Wolfe's Weekly Nanotech Insider will keep you up to date on the latest developments in this exciting new science. Sign up today. It's free.
7) Performance Sunglasses
                    §
Ambush model from Smith's Techlite line.

If your next pair of shades carries the Smith brand, you may be investing in nanotechnology. Certain Smith models incorporate technology from Valley View, Ohio-based Nanofilm, which uses nanotechnology to produce protective and antireflective ultrathin polymer coatings for eyewear. Founded in 1985 as a spinoff of research on the self-assembly of polymers at Case Western Reserve University, Nanofilm has grown to become one of the largest producers of protective glass coatings in the U.S. To give the glasses antireflection and scratch-resistance functionality, Nanofilm deposits coating layers of 150 nanometers and 20 microns thick, respectively. Then it uses chemical self-assembly to form a polymer coating, three to ten nanometers thin, on the outer layer of the antireflective lenses. This not only seals and repels grime and skin oils but also makes the lenses more responsive.

For more information: http://www.smithsport.com; http://www.nanofilm.cc

8) Nanocrystalline Sunscreen
Whether you're heading to the islands or the slopes this winter, you may want to slather on a bottle of NuCelle SunSense SPF 30 sunscreen. Its main ingredient is Z-COTE, a substance made with nanotechnology by BASF (nyse: BF - news - people ). "Nano-dispersed zinc oxide is the basis of Z-COTE," says BASF's Dieter Distler. The common SPF (sun protection factor) rating system only rates protection against UVB rays. Zinc oxide provides broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays, but its characteristic white pasty goop often leaves sunbathers and lifeguards feeling like they're wearing clown makeup. The nanotechnology in Z-Cote produces a high-purity nanocrystalline zinc oxide, which allows the sunscreen to go on clear. And, to boot, the inorganic Z-COTE can't be absorbed by the skin and won't cause allergic reactions.

For more information: http://www.nucelle.com/

9 & 10) High-Tech Tennis Rackets And Balls
Each year tennis racket manufacturers, from Wilson and Prince to Head and Yonex, vie to introduce the most technologically advanced and highly engineered products. In the 1970s, it was aluminum; the 1980s, graphite; the 1990s, titanium. Now comes nanotechnology. The 127-year-old French manufacturer Babolat introduced the VS Nanotube Power racket in 2002, retailing for $250. The Nanotube Power and VS Nanotube Drive lightweight, oversized-head models are made out of high modulus graphite with carbon nanotubes supplied by France's Nanoledge. One hundred times stronger than steel, yet one-sixth the weight, carbon nanotubes increase the rigidity of the stabilizers on each side of the racket's sweet spot. Babolat credits this with increasing torsion more than 50%--and flex resistance upwards of 20%. The result? VS Nanotube rackets are five times more rigid than current carbon rackets and pack significantly more power.

But what good is a nanotech racket without nanotech tennis balls? Regular balls left out of the can become flat and unplayable after two weeks or less. But Wilson Double Core tennis balls, with Hillsborough, N.J.-based InMat's Air D-Fense nanocomposite product inside, remain playable for four weeks. Sure, they cost about $1.50 more per can, but you double the life of the balls for half the incremental cost of a new can of ordinary tennis balls. InMat founder and President Harris Goldberg says that natural rubber--which is required to obtain the correct bounce--is very permeable. So InMat makes it harder for the air to escape by coating the ball's inner core with 20 microns thick of layered sheets of clay polymer nanocomposites--each 1 nanometer thin. There is no change in bounce or weight, and the player can't tell the difference. Wilson's Double-Core Balls are now the official balls of the Davis Cup.



Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense
 

Unternehmen/Märkte
09.03.2004, 12:03




Vorwärts: Stärkere Förderung für deutsche Nanotechnologie





Deutschland investiert 200 Millionen Euro von 2005 bis 2009




Im Rahmen der "Innovationsinitiative" der Bundesregierung hat Bundesforschungsministerin Edelgard Bulmahn die nationale Strategie zur Nanotechnologie vorgestellt, die gezielt bestimmte Marktbereiche fördern soll. Der im internationalen Vergleich vorhandene Vorsprung Deutschlands in der Nanotechnologie soll damit weiter ausgebaut werden, erklärte Bulmahn am 9. März 2004 im Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft in Berlin.







Nanotechnologie bietet die Möglichkeit, Produkte auf molekularer und atomarer Basis herzustellen. Zudem verspricht sie laut Bundesregierung Lösungsansätze für künftige Herausforderungen unserer Gesellschaft, etwa im Gesundheitswesen durch bessere Diagnostik- und Therapie- Möglichkeiten.

Die Projektförderung des Bundesforschungsministeriums für die Nanotechnologie wird sich zukünftig auf die Automobilbranche, die optische Industrie, die Pharma- und Medizintechnik sowie die Elektroniksparte konzentrieren. Für diese "in enger Abstimmung mit Wirtschaft und Wissenschaft" gewählten Bereiche stehen in den Jahren 2005 bis 2009 rund 200 Millionen Euro zur Verfügung, so Bulmahn.

"Für die Bundesregierung hat diese wichtige Zukunftstechnologie bereits heute Vorrang. Allein die im Rahmen der Projektförderung des Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung jährlich bereitgestellten Fördermittel für Nanotechnologie von rund 100 Millionen Euro konnten seit 1998 fast vervierfacht werden. Wir dürfen uns auf unseren Lorbeeren aber nicht ausruhen. Ziel ist es, für den Haushalt 2005 der Nanotechnologie eine deutliche Priorität zu geben", betont die Bundesforschungsministerin.

Gefördert werden etwa eine in der Region Dresden entstehende moderne Elektronik-Produktionsstätte ("NanoFab"), effiziente Licht- bzw. Strahlquellen auf Halbleiterbasis ("Nanolux"), Nanomaterialien und Nanobiologie für den Gesundheitsbereich ("NanoForLife"), die Förderung kleinerer und mittlerer Unternehmen im Nanotech-Bereich ("NanoChance") sowie die Entwicklung sichererer und umweltfreundlicher Autos ("NanoMobil"). Für Letzteres sollen innerhalb von vier Jahren insgesamt 32,5 Millionen Euro bereitgestellt werden.

Abschließend erklärte die Bundesforschungsministerin auf der Pressekonferenz in Berlin: "Für viele in Deutschland wichtige Industriebranchen wie Automobilbau, Informationstechnik, Chemie, Pharma und Optik hängt die zukünftige Wettbewerbsfähigkeit ihrer Produkte auch von der Erschließung der Nanotechnologie ab. Konkurrenzfähigkeit wird in zunehmendem Maße durch die Faktoren Technologie und Innovation bestimmt, so dass neue Technologietrends wie die Nanotechnologie einen deutlichen Einfluss auf die Arbeitsmärkte des 21. Jahrhunderts erwarten lassen, die zur Sicherung des Wohlstands am Standort Deutschland genutzt werden müssen".

Das Bundesforschungsministerium stellt nähere Informationen zur Innovationsinitiative Nanotechnologie unter www.nanonet.de zur Verfügung.


Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense
 

Associated Press
Researchers Split on Nanotechnology Future
Thursday March 11, 8:34 am ET
By Justin Pope, AP Business Writer
Researchers Split on Nanotechnology Future; Boosters Bray, but Actual Products Remain Scarce

BOSTON (AP) -- Show us the profits, the skeptics shout. Nanotechnology will amount to nanoprofits, they worry as they tick off a list of technologies from artificial intelligence to virtual reality that looked cool in the lab but have foundered commercially.

Such voices were all but drowned out this week at Nanotech 2004, the industry's largest conference.

And why not? The economy is rebounding, investors are interested and last year President Bush signed a bill to invest nearly $3.7 billion for nanotech research in the coming years.

Attendance tripled over last year, organizers said, reflecting a maturing industry. The inaugural conference seven years ago was a small gathering of lab rats; now it's as much a trade show as a science meeting, with real companies setting up booths.

"If you listen to a lot of the VCs, they'll say (nanotechnology) is still a science project," said Steven Currall, director of a Rice University program that supports business activities by researchers. "A lot of them say it's 10 years in the future. They're nuts. It's not 10 years."

Nanotechnology is the science of manipulating the tiniest units of matter, and making use of the unusual properties many substances exhibit at these almost incomprehensible scales: no larger than a billionth of a meter, or 1/100,000th the diameter of a hair.

Researchers in chemistry, physics and biology are already touting progress on projects that could someday lead to highly affordable solar energy or microscopic robots that attack bacteria and cancer cells.

But a closer look at this week's conference also revealed why some are still skeptical -- at least in the short run.

The 90 companies that bought booths at the conference trade show was a threefold increase in just three years. But many of the companies make the instruments that nanotechnology labs use to do other things -- "pick and shovels for the miners in the gold rush" in the words of one venture capitalist.

Many attention-getting companies in the field are still laying the groundwork for the future.

Richardson, Texas-based Zyvex is researching ways to build materials from single molecules, but for now makes instruments and materials. Inmat, of Hillsborough, N.J., hopes its nanocomposite coating will eventually be used in tires and chemical defense products, but for now it's being used to add bounce to Wilson tennis balls.

Another big challenge: manufacturing what the researchers invent.

"It's one thing to be able to do this in a lab where you're just pushing molecules around," said Donald Bansleben, a program manager with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which will be partly responsible for handing out federal research grants. Take, for example, carbon nanotubes. These tiny hexagons have unusual properties and could someday be used in microscopic electronic devices, but making them on a large scale may be a headache as far into the future as can be imagined.

One difficulty is that molecules act strangely at such small scales, which makes them potentially useful but also difficult to manipulate. And the scale is so small that nano-devices will likely have to be made by the billions or trillions to be useful. Normal manufacturing methods will be useless. Nanosystems will have to build themselves.

"You have to use things like replication or evolution or self-assembly or self-repair," said Warren Packard, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist who has invested in the field. "We need to figure out how to grow systems versus build systems."

Another big topic this week was the anticipated flood of federal money. Universities are eager to be sure, but several noted that it will mean the United States is only now pulling even with Japan in supporting nanotechnology.

On Wednesday, the California Institute of Technology announced it had received a $7.5 million grant to start a nanoscience center.

Proponents insist that, overall, nanotechnology is too broad, too important and too obviously useful to fail. Commercially, it will be better insured by real products and intellectual property than were previous technology fads.

But they know there will be bumps.

"I'm a near-term optimist and a long-term optimist but a mid-term pessimist," said Lynn Foster, who advises companies in the field. "It's not the next big thing. It's several of the next things after the next big thing."


Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense
 

nano-werte. wie an den charts vom doc zu sehen sind diese alles vom hohen ross gefallen.
im jahr 2003 als der thread eröffnet wurde war es für ein long zu früh  

Lemons Ripen Faster Than Plums

By Carl Wherrett and John Yelovich
December 7, 2004

Anyone who works in the produce industry or who spends any time in the kitchen will tell you that our headline is wrong -- plums always ripen faster than lemons. And they'd be right.

However, the phrase comes from the CEO at Harris & Harris (Nasdaq: TINY) in its recent third-quarter report, referring to investments in lemons (companies it loses money on) versus plums (companies it makes money on). I love that phrase and recommend it to our Rule Breakers members: Your losers will always ripen first, but wait for those juicy plums, mmmmmmmm!

Harris & Harris is a publicly traded venture capital company with a 97% focus upon what they call "tiny tech", i.e., nanotechnology.

So how many lemons has it had and how many plums? Since its inception, Harris has invested a total of $40 million in 38 transactions in various companies and returned over $108 million. However, 21 of the 38 lost money, which goes to prove that you only need a few winners from a basket of early-stage companies to show very nice returns.

When you invest in Harris, you have an opportunity to immediately buy into a basket of nano stocks -- all private companies -- so you are very dependent upon Harris' expertise in identifying potential commercial opportunities from very new science. As it is, the fruit pickers at Harris do better than most, with an average of .447. It is a very nice validation of the choices the company has made.

Success that seems likely to be continued. Included in its current orchard are Nantero, recently nominated by Scientific American as the 2004 winner as the business leader in the nanotechnology category, and Molecular Imprints, winner of the Small Times "2004: Best of Small Tech" award.

Nantero has recently partnered with LSI Logic (NYSE: LSI) to develop the use of carbon nanotubes in semiconductor processes, notably NRAM (next-generation memory chips). Molecular Imprints has also received venture capital from Motorola Ventures, the VC arm of Motorola (NYSE: MOT), with which Molecular has a strong working relationship.

Valuing Harris is not an easy task, as the metrics of sales and profits are not relevant to a publicly traded VC company. Rather, it is judged on net asset value (NAV), which has risen from $2.11 per share to $4.44 per share in the past 12 months. The actual share price has risen from $8 to $14. The disparity is explained by its increase in share dilution due to a share offering in 2004. That raised $36 million for future investments and allows Harris to be seen as a bigger player in becoming first-round major investors rather than being grouped with the minor players in the second round.

All in all, Harris has a nice fruit farm being developed. We see more plums on the trees than lemons.

Carl Wherrett owns Harris and prefers red plums over yellow ones. John Yelovich also owns Harris and likes lemon only in his tea. You can reach them both by email. The Fool has a disclosure policy.

If you're looking for the next growth company in groundbreaking industries like nanotech, then try our ultimate growth service, Motley Fool Rule Breakers.

Do you have high hopes for the nanotechnology sector? Share your views with Carl (TMFBreakerCarl) and John (TMFBreakerJohn) in the Nanotechnology discussion board.


Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense
 

Mal kurz die Charts ab dem 8.5.03... "Für ein long viel zu früh" - wenn man keinen Bock auf mehrere 100% Kursgewinn hatte, bestimmt.







Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense
 

Cepheid Reports Record Revenue of $44.8 Million

90 Percent Increase in Product Sales Driven by Robust Growth in Clinical Market

SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cepheid (Nasdaq: CPHD) today reported record revenue of $44.8 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2008, an increase of 76 percent over the first quarter of fiscal 2007. First quarter net loss was $1.9 million, or $(0.03) per share, on a GAAP basis; first quarter net income was $1.7 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, on a non-GAAP basis. Net loss in the first quarter of the prior year was $6.2 million, or $(0.11) per share on a GAAP basis, and $3.9 million, or $(0.07) per share, on a non-GAAP basis. Reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP results is provided at the end of this press release.  

Cepheid Signs Group Purchasing Contract With Premier Healthcare Alliance, One of the Largest U.S. Group Purchasing Organizations


SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cepheid (News) today announced it has signed a group purchasing contract with Premier, Inc., one of the largest U.S. Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) with more than 1,500 participating hospitals and 42,000 other healthcare sites. In conjunction with this agreement, Cepheid has also signed a preferred vendor agreement with the Western North Carolina Health Network (WNCHN), a collaboration of 53 acute care hospitals that utilize Premier as their GPO. Under the terms of the contract, Premier and WNCHN customers can take advantage of Cepheid's GeneXpert(R) System and Xpert(TM) MRSA tests at pre-negotiated prices.