PEN Releases Map Showing Nanotechnology-Related Activities in the U.S.

On August 18, 2009, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) released data showing that more than 1,200 companies, universities, government laboratories, and other organizations are involved in nanotechnology research, development, and commercialization. According to PEN, this is a 50 percent increase from the 800 organizations it identified two years ago. The data are part of PEN’s interactive map displaying the growing “Nano Metro” landscape, powered by Google Maps®. PEN’s accompanying analysis ranks cities and states by numbers of companies, academic and government research centers, and organizations and technology focus by sector.

PEN notes the following highlights:

• The top four states overall (each with over 75 entries) are California, Massachusetts, New York, and Texas. These states have retained their lead since PEN released its first analysis in 2007. Ohio has moved up four spots as the state with the sixth most entries. North Carolina has broken into the top 10 states for the first time.
• All 50 states and the District of Columbia have at least one company, university, government laboratory, or organization working in the field of nanotechnology.
• The top six Nano Metros (each with 30 or more entries) are: Boston; San Francisco; San Jose, California; Raleigh; Middlesex-Essex, Massachusetts; and Oakland, California. Boston and San Francisco have taken the lead from San Jose. Raleigh has moved into the top five Nano Metros (displacing Oakland).
• The top three sectors for companies working in nanotechnology (each with over 200 entries) are materials; tools and instruments; and medicine and health.
• The number of universities and government laboratories working in nanotechnology is still substantial, as it was in 2007, with 182 identified.