How to make a small fortune in nanotech (start with a large one)

Fellow blogger Darrell Brookstein noted the recent purchase of Quantum Dot Corp. and Biopixels by life sciences company Invitrogen. “… but I don't know if investors made any money on this,” said Darrell, “ no one is talking $$$s or details…”

In fact, the price that Invitrogen paid was not revealed in the press releases, possibly to avoid embarrassing the entreprenuers involved. However, Invitrogen’s VP for Investor Relations, Adam Taiche told me that the price tag came to less than $30 million for both companies. That is much less than the venture capital that went into Quantum Dot alone. This proves Darrell’s point: “…some good companies CAN'T get another VC round on their way to IPO-heaven (if they coulda, they woulda).”

It may seem surprising that Invitrogen would want to buy two quantum dot companies (even at a two for one sale), but as Taiche points out, they weren’t buying the companies as viable commercial entities, but for their intellectual property estate.

There is also something defensive about Invitrogen’s acquisition. Quantum dots as fluorescent labels for bioassays compete rather directly with the company’s Molecular Probes division. “Better we should develop this, than leave the opportunity for our competitors,” said Taiche.


Fullerenes for your face

I’m indebted to Cientifica’s Tim Harper for this little tidbit scavenged from London’s Sunday Times:

Zelens day and night creams contain Fullerene C60, a powerful free-radical-fighter, as well as a cocktail of other antioxidants such as vitamins C and E. Day cream, £135, and night cream, £150, from Selfridges; 0870 837 7377

Another ad at glamourmagazine.com advises, Before you balk at the price, listen to this: Zelens face creams include a Nobel Prize-winning antioxidant.

I hope the late Richard Smalley is smiling in his grave.

C60, aka buckminsterfullerene is actually one of the most powerful antioxidants known to chemistry. The company C-Sixty, Inc. has a collaborative agreement with Merck to develop fullerenes as anti-oxidant pharmaceuticals. Whether fullerenes will do anything good for your skin is an open question.