Nanotechnology and Development: What’s in it for Emerging Countries?

Abstract

Nanotechnology is promising to be the “transformative” technology of the 21st century with its boundless potential to revolutionize a wide range of industries, perceived to provide novel innovative solutions to complex technological problems, create functional and highly differentiated products in high technologies as well as in areas that are of pressing concerns in developing and improvised economies, i.e., environment, water purification, agriculture, energy and in a host of other products and services. Some of the “promises” are beginning to take shape with nanotechnology emerging as an enabling technology in improving the functionality of processes and products in various sectors and areas of developmental challenges. Unlike other key technologies, emerging economies have been actively involved in developing capability in this key field. However, translational research (converting “blue sky” research into a tradable commodity) has been an outlier in spite of promising research seen in emerging economies. What would be the effective policy interventions to bridge the “valley of death” remain a puzzle for policymakers, particularly in emerging economies. This book provides some useful insights and plausible interventions for policy makers to design new institutional mechanisms for more effective translations.