Nanotechnology - Nanotech Regulatory Document Archive - Arizona ...

Establishment of
ICS research and
training network
Nano Project Award
Creation of network including
scientists, researchers and
technicians from local academy,
industry and R&D sectors as well as
identifying institutions and or firms
for carrying out training within the
research/training activities
Portfolio of projects’ proposal with
complete scientific, technical, financial
information, including business plan
ready to be presented to funding
institutions and/or donors
• Identification and selection of partner
institutions for the programme (training
and research)
• Design and selection of
research/training projects in connection
with the interest shown by Developing
Countries policy and programmes
• Research projects implementation
• Monitoring of the research projects
• Promotion of the programme among
researchers and institution in
developing countries
• Selection of research and/or
development projects
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Bridging the gap – Medium term strategy
Talented/Capable researchers are available in the South, but there is a shortage of financial resources for
project funding and infrastructure. Although aid from the North reaches the South for short-term needs, the
collective view is that there is significantly less assistance for developing countries to build long-term
capabilities on science and technology.
The issue of financing is essential for providing access to nanotechnologies in developing countries. The
costs for R&D (and commercialization) of new nano-products may require large investments and so the role
of national, regional and international financial institutions is to actively encourage innovation by sharing the
financial risk through grants or soft loans.
Financial institutions are reluctant to carry out evaluations of innovative projects due to the high level of
costs involved. In fact, both the financial return on investment (e.g. added-value nanotech for existing
industries) and social return on investment (e.g. nano-based diagnostics, prevention and cure of diseases,
water purification, rural energy, environmental monitoring and remediation) have to be taken into account.
Likewise occurs with the Development Aid Agencies and local Governments.
To avoid the above, promoting and implementing activities at local/territorial level and promoting networking
among territorial structures should increase the percentage of success in bridging this gap.
Consequently, the ICS 2008 activities are instrumental to prepare the environment [1] where
nanotechnologies could be studied, developed and applied, linking industry, clusters, academia, research
centres, financiers, and in general the local economy. In other words, the ICS HTNM Area would like to
replicate the exercise carried out in Mexico in other countries.
Such Territorial Structures should operate in a more integrated way, within a network where ICS and
UNIDO could act as a sort of hub facilitating access to knowledge and technology as well as to a portfolio of
research projects that are continuously being updated and ready to be implemented within research
centres, laboratories, universities, industries with the active participation of researchers and technicians
from developing countries.
Instead of promoting networking among academia or research centres, the basic idea is to promote and
implement networking among Territorial Structures and to create with the joint cooperation of local
academia, industry, technology and research centres, venture capital and investment funds as in the case
of Guanajuato.
In this framework, the active collaboration of the international community is fundamental to secure good
results in favour of social and economic growth for developing countries, to exploit the enormous potentiality
[1] In selected countries/regions of developing countries
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