From cars with crash-alert systems to optical lens filters for the aerospace industry, Colorado’s nanotechnology sector is aiming for big growth, despite being based on small matter.
The newly formed Colorado Nanotechnology Alliance unveiled its three- year strategic plan Monday to boost awareness and support for the sector, which involves 75 companies.
The firms have spent $14.2 million in research and development in the state. The average annual salary for the roughly 150 workers in nanotechnology in Colorado is $55,000.
The presentation at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science also kicked off Colorado Tech Week, an annual event to promote the state’s tech sector.
The goal of the strategic plan is to establish Colorado as one of the top 10 states for nanotechnology, the “manipulation of matter on an extremely small scale to create structures, devices and systems,” according to the group.
A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter, or 75,000 times smaller than a human hair. Nanotechnology can be applied to a variety of fields, including manufacturing, electronics, energy, biotechnology and aerospace.
“Without this (nanotechnology), Colorado will have a difficult time competing in manufacturing,” said Richard Wobbekind, associate dean for the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business.
Boulder-based Phiar Corp., founded five years ago from research at the University of Colorado at Boulder, is working on “nano” sensors for cars. The sensors can help prevent accidents by recognizing when another car gets too close, said Adam Rentschler, director of business development for Phiar.
He said the technology is in luxury cars, but the goal is to bring the sensors to the mass market. The 16-person company is partnered with Motorola.
The Programmable Matter Corp. of Lakewood is using nanotechnology to make optical filters that can be used in remote sensing applications.
Staff writer Kimberly S. Johnson can be reached at 303-954-1088 or kjohnson@denverpost.com.
