4

nanotimes Editor‘s Letter

11-10 :: October 2011

on the use of functional polymer materials for over 14 years. That‘s one reason why Thinfilm can be found on our Watchlist.

Russia is becoming one of the key players in the area of nanotechnology thanks to its state-owned enter- prise RUSNANO. The company is still globally co-investing millions of dollars in firms that are strategically important to the state. The leading German venture capital company relating nanotechnology, Nanostart, is also entering the Russian market in close cooperation with RUSNANO.

That‘s the good news. The situation continues to be dim in Europe. It might be correct that there are several people on the other side of the Atlantic where a weakening Europe comes in handy. Generally however I think that the U.S. government and also the majority of Europeans simply want to see a political strategy where we want to go. Unfortunately, the EU doesn‘t have any long-term objective so far. People would even put up with a market that is flooded with lots of money only if they knew where we want to be in 2015.

Thomas Ilfrich