According to the data of the National Committee for Nanotechnology - INNI headed by Prof. Yehoshua Yurtner and Mr. Dan Wilensky, which were published to summarize a decade of activity, since nanotechnology was declared a national priority project, 1600 collaborations between Israeli academia and local and foreign industry, 129 success stories, in the form of start-up companies, have been registered news, and 1590 patents submitted for registration - of which 770 were approved
Between October 9-11, the nanotechnology conference NANO.IL.2018 will be held in the Umma buildings in Jerusalem. The conference will conclude a decade of the National Nanotechnology Program, demonstrate the ability to turn academic findings into an active industry, and mark Israel's 70th anniversary.
In 2017, the ten years in which the field of nanotechnology was defined and supported as a national project ended. In these 10 years, significant achievements have been made in the field of academic research, and now the signal has been given to start harvesting the fruits of the research and turn them into industrial products, so that they will make a significant contribution to industry, the economy, and the continuation of research in Israel. The NANO.IL.2018 conference will focus on scientific innovations and business opportunities in the fields of energy, water, environment, nanomaterials, nanoelectronics, nanophotonics, nanobio and nanomedicine.
According to the data of the National Committee for Nanotechnology - INNI, headed by Prof. Yehoshua Yurtner and Mr. Dan Wilensky, which were published to summarize a decade of activity, since nanotechnology was declared a national priority project, 1600 collaborations between the Israeli academy and local and foreign industry have been registered, 129 success stories, in the form of start-up companies news, and 1590 patents, which were submitted for registration - of which 770 were approved.
Wilensky, a member of the National Committee for Nano and the Steering Committee of the Nano Conference, proudly emphasizes that during these years impressive academic achievements were recorded. In addition, more than 100 world-renowned scientists who immigrated to or returned to Israel were absorbed into the nanotechnology centers. These scientists were accepted as faculty members at the universities and unique laboratories were established for them in their field of expertise. According to the data, there are currently 151 senior scientists and faculty members, 815 junior scientists (including postdoctoral fellows), 1995 doctoral students, and 2,900 master's degree students in the field of nanotechnology. During these years, over 12,000 articles were published in scientific journals, some of them the result of collaboration between universities.
Wilensky demonstrates the success of the field: "Over 130 nano companies are currently registered in the INNI database, out of about 200 companies operating in Israel in diverse fields, while applying the unique features of nanotechnology to improve their existing products and enter new fields. About 15-20 large companies operate in the field, including Elbit, Rafael, Pelsan, TAA, Applied Materials, Intel, Vulcan, Keter and Israel Chemicals, which direct part of their activities to the field. In addition to them, medium and small companies (the start-up companies) demonstrate unique abilities in the field, and use the nano to promote groundbreaking applications in the fields of technology, which they have developed or acquired."
According to Wilensky, "this part should grow in the coming years, thanks to nano technologies, which have reached maturity and are looking for industrial applications". Although in Israel the scope of the industry is still minimal and estimated at only a few million shekels. The global scope of the field and related services, according to the European Union for Nanotechnology, is expected to cross the 3 trillion euro mark within five years, and it is estimated that in 2025 the market is expected to expand and cover most of the fields that concern us in our daily lives."
Wilensky also adds that the annual survey carried out by the committee indicates that Israel will be an important player in the development of products with high added value, which will be integrated into leading global industries. "Some of the products will be produced in Israel based on the knowledge and technology developed here, mainly by the research institutions, which are among the leaders of their kind in the world in the field of R&D."
Prof. Yuval Goreini, Chairman of the Nano Conference, and until recently Head of the Center for Nanotechnology at Bar Ilan University: "The members of the faculty, who returned from abroad, and the research groups that arose thanks to the nano program, placed in the 6 nano centers special, innovative and sophisticated equipment, the only one of its kind in Israel. About 500 companies in Israel use this equipment for their research and development purposes. This tier in itself is a huge success, in that it allows companies to use equipment that they would not have been able to purchase on their own. The companies can also take advantage of the vast knowledge of the scientists who work in the nano centers, operate the equipment and help the representatives of the companies plan the experiments they need and bring them to fruition."
Rafi Kuriat, member of the board of INNI and co-chairman of the nano conference, explains the gap between academic achievements in the field and applied progress in industry: the reason lies in the groundbreaking and innovative nature of the nano world. It will take several more years before the technological breakthroughs, which began their journey in academia, become products on the world market. This is due to the required response to market demands, to comprehensive trials and tests, and the need to meet regulatory and safety conditions. The field of application requires unique expertise, and an entire generation of industrialists and researchers with the ability to understand and apply in industry, who will only be able to brand Israel as a world leader in the field of nanotechnology application through a dedicated support program with national priority."
Haim Russo, member of the steering committee and co-chairman of the conference: "An extraordinary opportunity has been created for the civilian and defense industry in Israel to leverage the conference to increase the application of technological solutions and inventions developed in the academy, while at the same time increasing business collaborations with local and international bodies and companies."
Dr. Ehud Galon, member of the steering committee and representative of PAAT, Points out that the conference included two security sessions, one will focus on the activities of local companies in the nano field, and the other on the international companies in the field. "From past experience - these seats will attract a large crowd," he says.
conference NANO.IL.2018 Intended for academic researchers, industry and business people from around the world, and will serve as an important meeting point and platform for academics, scientists and researchers, companies, venture capitalists, private funds, institutional and corporate investors, regulatory, technology and development personnel, and government decision makers. The first day of the conference will be a concentrated study day for engineers, investment companies and others, who do not come from the nano field, and wish to stand closely and focused on the abilities and potential inherent in the field of nanotechnology.
The conference was held in collaboration with the National Committee for Nanotechnology INNI and the nanotechnology centers at the various universities and the organization of Fargon Conferences.
