Nanomaterials and venture capital

There has been much publicity in the recent past, both in the popular press and in the scientific literature, concerning the dramatic developments in nanotechnology. The excitement surrounding the field has resulted in a high level of government funding for research worldwide. In the US alone, the government has invested over $2 billion since 1996, and in 2004 the annual level of funding from the National Nanotechnology Initiative is expected to reach $847 million.