Nanotechnology in August 2005

Though I read the Drexler book 17 years ago in August 1988, and, colored by that, thought about my own private, science fiction version of nanotechnology for more than a decade, I did not get serious about its implications for my career until 2001. Introduced to leading bionanoscientist, Erkki Ruoslahti, MD, PhD via some serious serendipity in that year, every month I spent learning about nanotechnology sent its returns spinning yet another year into the future.

After 8 months of research and conference attending beginning in mid 2001, the profits I had envisioned in 2004-2010 had been moved in my mind out to 2012-2018, and I threw in the towel on my dreams of a Nanotech Fortune.

While others got their venture capital firms more fully invested in nano, and a couple newsletter writers rushed early efforts, I thought it was way too soon, and closed up shop, though Dr. Ruoslahti and I kept up our communications on a more limited basis.

By mid 2003 Nanotechnology was becoming a household word in the investment world because the president was going to sign the National Nanotech Initiative in November of that year. CNBC beat the drum and it seemed as every month went by the fruits of nanotechnology moved a year closer.

By September 2003 we started rebuilding our Scientific Advisory Board, and I started outlining the first book on successful investing in nanotechnology and other "small technologies" like microfluidics, MEMs and microelectronics, Nanotech Fortunes: Make Yours in the Boom; Winning Strategies.

There is a LOT more to the story, but that's enough for now.

Today, the world of nanotech is a bit of a confusing mess; not unlike biotechnology in 1983. The people who count (some scientists, nano-execs, and an extremely limited number of professional investors), really get it; the people who really count (investment bankers and the investing public), know next to nothing.