Where will the next big business idea
in the field of nanotechnology come from -- somewhere else in the world, or
right here in Northeast Ohio?
We're about to find out at NanoWeek 2005, as ASM International, The
Materials Information Society co-sponsors the 2nd International Business Idea
Competition. A Northeast Ohio competition will also be held. Both competitions
offer $75,000 in prize money, for a total of $150,000.
The competitions are sponsored by TiME (The Institute for Management and
Engineering), Case Western Reserve University, the Keithley Foundation, ASM
International and the Nano-Network.
"It's Northeast Ohio and the rest of the world," said Stan Theobald, ASM
managing director. "As an international organization ourselves, we're proud
to be co-sponsoring the worldwide competition. And, as a company
headquartered near Cleveland, we're looking forward to seeing how we stack up
locally against that international standard."
"On the international side of the competition, we are interested in
business ideas from anywhere in the world that are based upon or enabled by
nanotechnology, and which will provide a superior means of meeting a market
need," said Cyrus Taylor, professor of physics, director of the physics
entrepreneurship program, and coordinator of science entrepreneurship programs
at Case Western Reserve University.
While entries may represent any area of technology, ideas in the areas of
energy, healthcare and medicine, aerospace and automotive applications, and
consumer products are particularly favored to win.
A distinguished panel of judges -- including Mike Kenney of ASM
International -- will determine the distribution of the prize money for the
international competition. Presentations by finalists and the awards ceremony
will be held on Oct. 20-21 during NanoWeek 2005 in Cleveland. The awards
ceremony will be at Case Western Reserve on Oct. 21 and is open to the public,
free of charge.
ASM International is a co-sponsor of the highly successful Nano App Summit
event that is being held in Cleveland this week. The summit features "real-
world successes": nano-enabled products and processes in the aerospace,
automotive and consumer products markets. "As The Materials Information
Society, ASM is heavily involved in emerging technologies -- like
nanotechnology -- that are changing our world," Theobald said.
