A brand new nanotechnology centre opened in Edmonton's Research Park today. The Alberta Centre for Advanced Microsystems and Nanotechnology Products (ACAMP) received $8 million in funding from the Alberta government and $3.5 million from Western Economic Diversification to build the centre.

"Alberta's global reputation for nanotechnology research just became enhanced as we will now be recognized as a place for putting that technology on the store shelves and into peoples' lives," said Doug Horner, Alberta's Minister of Advanced Education and Technology. "This new centre – the first of its kind in Canada – will give entrepreneurs a place to turn ideas into viable, market-ready products."

ACAMP will work with both industry and academia to promote Alberta's nanotechnology capabilities and to identify new market opportunities. The focus will be on commercialization. Existing nanotechnology facilities in the province include the University of Alberta's NanoFab, the University of Calgary's Advanced Microsystems Integration Facility, and the National Institute for Nanotechnology of the National Research Council (NINT) at the University of Alberta.

According to newly appointed ACAMP CEO Ken Brizel, there are 40 companies and 200 researchers working in the nanotechnology field in Alberta. Prior to joining ACAMP, Brizel was CEO of Orlando-based LightPath Technologies. He holds a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering.

The Alberta government unveiled a $130 million nanotechnology strategy in May 2007, with a stated goal of capturing 2% of the world's nanotechnology market by 2020. It is hoped that ACAMP will help achieve that goal.

For more information on ACAMP, contact Ken Brizel at 780.468.2443 or via email. You may also want to read the ACAMP media release and backgrounder (pdf).