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In this month’s interview, Nanotech Briefs talks with Matt Bigge, director of corporate development for Nanosys (Palo Alto, CA). The company develops products based on a technology platform incorporating high-performance inorganic nanostructures. Their technology is currently being applied to address opportunities in multiple industries including energy, defense, electronics, computing, and life science. Some current application areas include flexible electronics, lightweight and conformal solar cells, memory, and novel nanostructured surface coatings.

Nanotech Briefs: Why is nanotechnology important?

Matt Bigge: Nanotechnology is important because it offers the opportunity to manipulate the physical, electrical, magnetic, and other material properties in a way that has never been done prior to nanotechnology. This capability is analogous, though larger, than the changes seen with the advent of plastics.

NB: When will the commercialization of nanotechnology become more common?

Bigge: The commercialization of nanotechnology-enabled products will become widespread when the cost of the product plus switching costs is exceeded by the decreased price, improved performance and increased functionality of the nano-enabled product relative to traditional solutions.

NB: Can you comment on why critics stress caution in relation to nanotechnology as an investment?

Bigge: Nanotechnology is a new and potentially revolutionary field, not dissimilar to what Biotech was 25 years ago. Both fields as an investment are risky, but also offer tremendous potential returns, if you choose the right company. All you have to do is look at Biotech companies like Amgen, Genetech, Gilead, Biogen-IDEC. Investing is investing. If you find something of value at an appropriate price and the potential for increasing levels of performance, it will probably outperform the general market. That has been born out with the successful companies in every industry over time. As compared to the dot-com industry, Nanotechnology is probably more analogous to biotechnology in that much of the early value will be based on intellectual property and real science. The intellectual property will create barriers to entry without the extreme regulatory environment that Biotech companies have to work through.

Matt Bigge can be contacted at MBigge@nanosysinc.com.