Nanotechnology firms establish association

27 Nov. 2014 | CzechInvest | Twelve founding members signed the association into existence at CzechInvest´s headquarters.

Representatives of twelve Czech nanotechnology firms met at CzechInvest’s headquarters on Štěpánská Street in Prague on Thursday, 27 November 2014, in order to establish the Nanotechnology Industry Association of the Czech Republic. This new association intends to build on and strengthen the Czech Republic’s outstanding global reputation in this field and to represent the interest of its members in Czech industry and abroad. It will also focus on actively seeking support and opportunities for cooperation in the commercial and academic spheres.

“Czechs excel especially in the areas of nanofibres and optics, where they can build on the tradition and globally known discoveries of Professors Jirsák and Delong,” says Jiří Fusek, nanotechnology sector specialist at CzechInvest, who took part in the association’s establishment. “Local firms come up with innovations at the level of final products, which is not common. The association has the potential to further raise the Czech Republic’s profile as a nanotechnology power in the eyes of foreign investors.”

“Our ambition is to act as a partner in the formulation of programmes aimed at promoting the sector in the education and business spheres, as well as in the area of the economy at the national and European levels and in setting up financing and support for the nanotechnology sector,” adds Jiří Kůs, chairman of the executive board of the Nanotechnology Industry Association of the Czech Republic, who also played a role in conceiving the idea of establishing the association.

The members of the association are primarily business entities. These specifically include IQ Structures s.r.o., NANOVIA s.r.o., nanoSPACE s.r.o., Advanced Materials – JTJ s.r.o., SPUR a.s., NanoTrade s.r.o., ASIO, spol. s r.o., PARDAM, s.r.o., Výzkumný Technologický Institut s.r.o., HE3DA s.r.o., JIMIPLET, s.r.o. and NAFIGATE Corporation, a.s. However, the members anticipate close cooperation with research, science and education institutes in future.