Tim Harper\’s keynote on Nanotechnology at Technology Review\’s emTech Malaga conference

1. The Market For
Nanotechnologies
Tim Harper
Cientifica Ltd

2. The Market For
Nanotechnologies
Tim Harper
Cientifica Ltd

8. Tim Harper
• Engineer at European Space
Agency
• Serial Entrepreneur
• Co Founder NanoSight
• Chair / Chief Advisor of Several
National Funding Bodies
• World Economic Forum
Emerging Technologies Council /
Tech Pioneers
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9. 10 Years of Nanotech
8

10. 10 Years of Nanotech
Household Cleaners Sporting Equipment
Food Displays Drug Delivery
Insulation
Sunscreen Paints Water Treatment
Construction
Cosmetics Lighting Filtration
Anti Corrosion Data Storage
Textiles
Computer Memory
Coatings
Catalysis Tissue Engineering
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11. 10 Years of Nanotech
8

12. IBM’s Cognitive
Computing Chip

13. 5000 Years of Science
10

14. 5000 Years of Science
• We have been observing
the world for 5000 years
10

15. 5000 Years of Science
• We have been observing
the world for 5000 years
• Significantly changing it
for 100 years
10

16. 5000 Years of Science
• We have been observing
the world for 5000 years
• Significantly changing it
for 100 years
• Understanding our
actions for 20 years
10

17. Control Over Materials
Materials Have Always Been Vital
to Humanity
• Clothing,
• Heating, hunting tools
• Coal, iron, oil, copper
• Semiconductors
• Satellites
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18. Materials Have Shaped
Our Culture
10,000 BC
1000 BC 0 1800 1900’s 2000 2010
Stone
& Wood Iron Cement Steel Polymers Synthetic Biology
Composites Nanotechnology
Adapted from Herrmann, W. Chem. Eng. Technol. 21(7), 549 (1998)
12

19. Science Enables New
Technologies
Complexity
1650 1950 2050 13

20. Science Enables New
Technologies
Complexity
1650 1950 2050 13

21. Science Enables New
Technologies
Complexity
1650 1950 2050 13

22. Science Enables New
Technologies
Complexity
1650 1950 2050 13

23. Science Enables New
Technologies
Complexity
1650 1950 2050 13

24. Science Enables New
Technologies
Complexity
1650 1950 2050 13

25. Science Enables New
Technologies
Complexity
Semiconductors
1650 1950 2050 13

26. Science Enables New
Technologies
Complexity
Biotechnology
Semiconductors
1650 1950 2050 13

27. Science Enables New
Technologies
Nanotechnologies
Complexity
Biotechnology
Semiconductors
1650 1950 2050 13

28. Science Enables New
Technologies
Synthetic Biology
Nanotechnologies
Complexity
Biotechnology
Semiconductors
1650 1950 2050 13

29. Science Enables New
Technologies
Geoengineering?
Synthetic Biology
Nanotechnologies
Complexity
Biotechnology
Semiconductors
1650 1950 2050 13

30. Science Enables New
Technologies
Geoengineering?
Synthetic Biology
Nanotechnologies
Complexity
Biotechnology
Control
Semiconductors
1650 1950 2050 13

31. Moving From Control Of
Materials to Control of
Things
14

32. Moving From Control Of
Materials to Control of
Things
Materials
• Metals
• Semiconductors
• Food Processing
Passive
14

33. Moving From Control Of
Materials to Control of
Things
Materials Things
• Metals • Crops
• Semiconductors • Cells
• Food Processing • The Planet?
Passive Active
14

34. Ray Anderson at
Interface
Managed to
• Cut greenhouse gas emissions by 82 percent
• Cut fossil fuel consumption by 60 percent
• Cut waste by 66 percent
• Cut water use by 75 percent

35. The Impact Is Not Only
Environmental
By changing the way they used technology,
Interface
• invent and patent new machines, materials, and
manufacturing processes
• increased sales by 66 percent,
• doubled earnings, and raised profit margins.

37. Operating Theatre 1910

38. “Anyone talking about trillion dollar markets,
thousands of start-ups and billions of dollars of
VC money is missing the point of
nanotechnology.
...most of the effects will not be called nano, and
they will be off the radar of most nano pundits &
gurus"
- Tim Harper 2003

39. Longest Published DNA Sequence
Synthetic Biology
Source: Rob Carlson synthesis.cc
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40. A Lot Like Moore’s Law
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41. Finally
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42. Finally
Nanotechnologies and biosciences will be as
important to the 21st Century as oil, polymers
and semiconductors were to the 20th Century
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43. Finally
Nanotechnologies and biosciences will be as
important to the 21st Century as oil, polymers
and semiconductors were to the 20th Century
We have the tools, lets use them wisely
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44. tim.harper@cientifica.com
Twitter: @tim_harper