triple innova is member of the project observatoryNANO
, funded by the European Union under the Framework Programme 7. The
observatoryNANO got underway on Monday 7th April 2008 when it held its
kick-off meeting in London. This 4 M€ Support Action is funded for
four years and includes 16 partners from 10 European States. Its
mission is “to create a European Observatory on Nanotechnologies to
present reliable, complete and responsible science-based and economic
expert analysis, across different technology sectors, establish
dialogue with decision makers and others regarding the benefits and
opportunities, balanced against barriers and risks, and allow them to
take action to ensure that scientific and technological developments
are realized as socio-economic benefits."
Such activities are timely. European decision-makers in
governments, industry, and finance lack objective information for their
decisions when considering a rapidly changing field of technology such
as Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (N&N). The observatoryNANO
project will help address this issue. It brings together leading EU
organizations who collectively have expertise in the scientific;
technological; economic; societal/ethical; health, safety, and
environmental analysis of nanotechnologies. It will collate and
analyse data regarding scientific and technological (ST) trends
(including peer-reviewed publications, patents, roadmaps, published
company data) and economic realities and expectations (including market
analysis and economic performance, public and private funding
strategies). The ST and economic analysis will be further supported by
assessment of ethical and societal issues, impacts on health,
environment and safety, as well as regulation, standardization, and
legislative issues. Analyses will be elaborated through constructive
discourse with leading academics, industrialists, investors, and other
key stakeholders. The consortium has established liaisons with
relevant groups within international organizations (such as EPO, OECD
and ISO), and will establish liaisons with relevant European Technology
Platforms (ETPs), ERA NETs, and other EU-funded projects, to maximise
the impact of its own and others work. The purpose of this integrated
approach is to develop validated methodologies that yield accurate
indicators of the socio-economic impact of N&N RTD. The ultimate
goal of the observatoryNANO project is to establish a permanent
European Observatory on Nanotechnologies, to provide ongoing,
independent support to decision-makers.
triple innova’s task within the project is to provide a web-based
self-assessment tool for businesses in different N&N technology
sectors (building on the NanoMeter -concept developed in a former EU-project ("Nanologue ") and to stimulate the discussion on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and nanotechnology.
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