A special feature on the heavily funded and commercially orientated Russian national nanotechnology initiative.
Basic and applied science received good support and funding in Russia during the Soviet period. However, until 2007, Russia’s national activities in nanotechnology were limited to this level across a number of national research institutes, with very little commercialization, and the 1990s especially were a dark period for nanoscience funding. In November 2007, the Russian Government moved to the forefront of nanotechnology funding worldwide by creating RUSNANO (Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies), a state nanotechnology corporation backed with US$5 billion in initial funding (with planned match funding from private sources). The Russian Research Centre Kurchatov Institute was designated the scientific coordinator of the Russian national nanotechnology programme. RUSNANO was reincorporated in March 2011 as an open joint stock company through reorganization of state corporation Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies.
The initiative’s aim is to propel Russia to the forefront of nanotechnology partially in a bid to atone for its failure to develop high tech industries during the computing, biotech and microtechnology booms, and reduce its dependence on oil and gas exports (which suffered during the financial crisis). Russian strengths for developing a nanotechnology industry were identified as a strong research base in nanotechnology (mainly materials science), large financial resources and administrative capacity to ensure proper implementation of a coherent plan. Russia’s nanotechnology plan differs from most national nanotechnology initiatives in that it was almost entirely focused on commercialization and wealth creation from its inception. It seeks to invest in companies and commercial projects and anticipates a return on its investment within a rigid timeframe
Approximately 27 billion roubles (USD900 million) of the budget has been spent on construction of a national nanotechnology infrastructure since the launch of the initiative. Funding was ramped up in 2009 to more than $11 billion due tothe due to lack of success experienced during the first two years years of the initiative which saw only 2,000 new jobs created and a small number of public-private ventures established.
In 2009 RUSNANO received 634 requests for project co-financing. The projects have aggregate budgets of 1.355 trillion roubles of which 712.3 billion roubles were requested from the corporation. A significant percentage of the requests were for new production or modernization of existing processes and fixed assets.
Tab. 1: Funding for the Russian nanotechnology initiative 2007-2015 (Source: RUSNANO)
|
2009 200200822008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
|
Total investments |
$0.73bn |
$0.86bn |
$1.03bn |
$1.03bn |
$1.05bn |
$1.13bn |
$1.25bn |
$1.48bn |
|
Sales of Russian nanoindustry products |
$0.71bn |
$2.86bn |
$5.54bn |
$8.57bn |
$12.14bn |
$16.79bn |
$23.21bn |
$32.14bn |
|
Share of world market of nanoindustry products |
0.07% |
0.25% |
0.45% |
0.80% |
1.25% |
1.85% |
2.4% |
3.0% |
|
Volume of exports of nanoindustry products |
$0.14bn |
$0.93bn |
$0.68bn |
$1.11bn |
$1.86bn |
$2.89bn |
$4.43bn |
$6.43bn |
According to RUSNANO there are now more than 1,500 companies, 150 higher educational institutions and 200 research institutes with nanotechnology activities. RUSNANO now has branches in 16 regions and that figure will be doubled before the end of this year. RUSNANO’s remit is to select areas of commercial potential or social benefit in nanotechnology and provide long-term support and investment.
The end goal of the current Russian nanotechnology initiative is to produce 900 billion roubles worth of nanotech-enabled products by 2015.
A list of funded projects can be found at http://www.rusnano.com/Section.aspx/Show/18016?Page=0. However, due the relative lack on infrastructure and commercial activity in nanotechnology Russia has sought to establish joint projects and production of nanomaterials with foreign companies, as well as investing in these companies. Rusnano had already invested in a large number of photonics-related companies and projects, spanning a range of applications from biophotonics to displays.
Recent investments include nanophotonics company NeoPhotonics Corporation and nanocoatings producer Beneq. A large number of investments are in the tens of million dollars range. For example, in January 2012, RUSNANO provided funding of US$64.4 million to Metaclay (www.metaclay.com) for the production of polymer nanocomposites using nanosilicates for applications including packaging, cable insulation and steel pipeline coatings.
RUSNANO investments include:
• In April 2012 they invested US $79m in Quantenna Communications, a manufacturer of semiconductors for wireless networks and devices.
• In April 2011 they invested US $4.5m in American biotechnology company BiOptix. A Russian subsidiary was establisjed, BiOptix Nanoprom LLC. BiOptix is a manufacturer of biosensor technology which enables researchers and scientists to detect various chemical and biological substances in trace amounts, all with minimal human handling.
• In November 2010 RUSNANO acquired a 25% stake in Plastic Logic, a U.S.-based electronics technology company for $150 million. This investment has since increased to $700 million which will see Plastic Logic build a huge production facility in Zelenograd, Russia.
• In April 2012 RUSNANO acquired a 17% stake in California-based photonic integrated circuit (PIC) module and subsystem developer NeoPhotonics who will set up R&D, design and production facilities in Russia.
• In October 2010 RUSNANO acquired a $50 million stake in IRE-Polus, a subsidiary of the fast-growing fiber laser company IPG Photonics.
• In 2010 HemaCore received A series investments from RUSNANO and SBERBANK CAPITAL for developing the analyzer, consumables and organization of clinical trials.
• In April 2012, RUSNANO invested 25 million euros in Beneq an industrial production and laboratory equipment provider for nano-scale thin films and functional coatings.
