A report suggests that Switzerland is set to become a major force in the world of nanotechnology over the next few years.
Already outstripping the likes of the US and Japan, the Swiss, largely thanks to university research groups, are processing a very high number of nanotech patent applications, providing a strong basis for a future industry. Although drawn up predominantly by Swiss organisations, such as The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property, the publication, called The Swiss Nanotech Report, also involved global companies such as IBM, which has a research base near Zurich. The report emphasises the importance of a healthy research culture, backed by reliable funding, which promotes opportunities to push forward the development of new technologies as well as building industry. Nanotechnology is playing an increasingly wide range of roles in consumers’ lives, with personal care products such as sunscreens and antiageing creams being a particularly common and high-profile area.
