Despite absolutely awful weather forcing the cancellation of literally hundreds of flights into New York City, the NanoBusiness Alliance managed to pack a couple of good-sized ballrooms at the Marriott Marquis on Times Square for its sixth annual conference. Such great attendance under these conditions is a true testimony to the determined entrepreneurial spirit of the participants. Informative presentations ran the gamut from literal start-up companies to Fortune 20 international corporations. All of the speakers and attendees were brought together by a common vision of how nanotechnology is transforming business as we know it.
Particularly interesting was a presentation by Lisa Farmen, President and COO of Crystal Clear Technologies, Inc. (CCT). Ms. Farmen’s company uses proprietary absorptive nanomaterials to purify water. The technology is inexpensive, renewable, and able to remove high levels of heavy metals from water and contain them in a easy to recycle residue that is also safe to dispose of in ordinary landfills. The technology produces no waste-water, and a small amount of the nanomaterial can be used to purify hundreds of thousands of gallons of water. The most interesting thing about Ms. Farmer’s company and its technology is that its business prospects are immense, yet at the same time it is targeting a most basic human need — inexpensive, clean drinking water. Ms. Farmer indicated CCT expects to complete initial sales to the U.S. military in 2007.
Beyond the top-rate presentations, the conference’s organizers should also be commended for pulling together such a premier event. The conference received live national television coverage on CNBC’s Squawk Box news program and was also widely reported in the print and online press. The entire nano-industry benefits from such a well-put-together event.
