A new voice is about to be heard on the nanotechnology field.  Well, kind of.  The Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association (SOCMA) has announced that John DiLoreto will be the new director of the Nanotechnology SME Coalition.  While Mr. DiLoreto is new to the position, you may think his name is familiar.  That’s because he is the founder of NanoReg, and the former director of the American Chemistry Society’s Nanotechnology Panel.

The SME Coalition was created to "assist start-ups, small, and medium enterprises (SME) developing, manufacturing, and using nanoscale materials."  The goal of the Coalition is to "provide SME perspective regarding the health, safety, and environmental aspects of nanotechnology to the [EPA, FDA,] and other U.S. Agencies." 

Clearly, the Coalition is setting itself up to be an important industry perspective, and the concerns of small and medium business differ at points from larger companies in the same field. 

As reported by SOCMA, Mr. DiLoreto’s goals are to:

  • Promote a positive public perception of nanotechnology;
  • Advocate the needs and interests of start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises before policymakers;
  • Establish consistency and accuracy in developing standards, definitions and nomenclature; and
  • Secure fair treatment in trade.

Good luck, John, and I look forward to hearing the Coalition’s thoughts and concerns.