Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance

The Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance (CNA), or Alliance Canadienne du Commerce en Nanotechnologie, was established by a number of eminent scientists to help promote the nanotechnology industry in Canada, concurrent in timing with similar industry and lobby groups being established in other countries. Operating from its headquarters in Montreal, the goal of the CNA was to focus on the promotion of the nanotechnology sector in Canada through links with the Canadian government. From its inception, it included members of government agencies, universities, research associations, industry, and individuals connected with the investment sector and venture capital. Its aim was not only to help establish a viable nanoscience industry within Canada, but also to promote the resultant projects worldwide.

The cofounder of the CNA, Dr. Uri Sagman, was appointed as Executive Director of the CNA, and brought with him a wealth of knowledge of clinical oncology, tumor biology, and immunology. From the start, the CNA clearly had a strong focus on the medical uses of nanotechnology, especially in regards to possible uses in cancer research. It also benefited from Dr. Sagman's ties with universities in Canada and overseas, particularly Oxford University in Britain, Erlangen University in Germany, and the University of Taiwan in the Republic of China, where he was involved in collaborating on other research projects, as well as in developing new strategies for the National Nanotechnology Initiative programs in a number of other countries.

It was the strong support of the Canadian government, however, that differentiated the CNA from similar groups in other countries having more of an industry focus. Neil Gordon, the president of the CNA, reiterated that “nanotechnology is a fundamental building block for industries of the future, [and] this initiative represents an important step for Canada and a milestone for the nanotechnology sector.” In 2005, the CNA received $4.55 million from the Canada Economic Development and the National Research Council of Canada to continue to promote nanotechnology. By this time, there had been a diversification of “nanoresearch” beyond the initial research into medical uses. They did continue work on the concept of a miniaturized pill that could be ingested by humans, enabling doctors to use information collected from the device to diagnose illnesses more exactly.

For automakers, research was conducted on a nanodevice able to measure the air pressure of car tires, and automatically inflate them when necessary. Other areas of research were developed with the formation of the Nanotechnology Clean Water Initiative in November 2003. The CNA was able to financially support a NanoImprint Lithography Prototyping Center (NLPC) in the Province of Quebec. This venture began to take advantage of new fabrication technology that can change the nature of the surfaces of fabrics and textiles to make them longer lasting, or more impermeable to water. The NLPC was set up to operate using funds from the National Research Council of Canada and also the Industrial Materials Institute.

However, the CNA failed to get sufficient funding to continue its work and was forced to close at the end [Page 72]of 2008. Much of this outcome was due to the failure of Nanotech BC, and the Canadian National Research Council took over responsibility for much of the funding. As a result, its Website, http://www.nanobusiness.ca is no longer operational.

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