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COVER SHEET INFORMATION FOR SUBMISSION
FULL PAPER FOR THE XXVIII IASP World Conference on Science and Technology Parks, 2011
Title of the Paper: Nanotechnology incubator at PIIT Monterrey: Challenges and Opportunities for an
emerging innovation cluster and its role in the economic development of the region.
Session for which the Steering Committee has provisionally selected the abstract submitted prior to this
paper: Parallel Session 7. Theme: The evolution, development and adaptation of smart facilities
Length of Paper: 3442 words, 8 pages
Author and Paper Presenter
Given Name:
Jaime
FAMILY NAME*
PARADA-AVILA
Position
Director General
Organization
Institute for Innovation and Technology Transfer of Nuevo León
Mailing Address
Pablo A. González 888
Colinas de San Jerónimo
Monterrey, N.L., Mexico
64630
Phone & Dialing/Area Code 52-818-20331102
E-mail Address
[email protected]
Fax (optional)
Co-Author(s)
Given Name
Martha
FAMILY NAME*
LEAL-GONZALEZ
Position
Deputy Director Strategic Planning and International Cooperation
Organization
Institute for Innovation and Technology Transfer of Nuevo León
Mailing Address
Phone & Dialing/Area Code 52-818-20331111
E-mail Address
[email protected]
Fax (optional)
_
I confirm my ability to present my paper in English
By submitting my Full Paper I authorise the Conference Organisers to publish it in the
Conference Proceedings (if the Paper is approved by the Steering Committee)
Date 18th February, 2011
Signature
Jaime Parada Ávila
JParada A
Nanotechnology incubator at PIIT Monterrey: Challenges and Opportunities for an emerging
innovation cluster and its role in the economic development of the region.
Author: Jaime PARADA-ÁVILA
Co-author: Martha LEAL-GONZÁLEZ
Institute for Innovation and Technology Transfer, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
The state of Nuevo León Mexico has a long standing tradition of business development and
entrepreneurship. The creation of new public policies and strategies for to the attraction and retention
of technology-based companies in the state has been complemented by access to funds for research and
innovation, and the establishment of a technological research and innovation Park, PIIT (Parque de
Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica). The PIIT has a nanotechnology incubator that although has
been in operation for less than a year, it has already changed the landscape of competitiveness in this
technological area in Mexico. The incubator, as in the case of the PIIT, has been an instrument enabled
by the synergistic alliance between companies, academic institutions and government, grouped in a
Nanotechnology Cluster with more than 25 members.
I.
INTRODUCTION.
Nuevo León’s route to achieve the social and economic welfare of its citizens in this era of global
competition, has been the support of the development of the knowledge economy and society,
encouraging the creation of new technology-based businesses, uphold the existing industry, developing
human talent and investing in science, technology and innovation as the engines of competitiveness.
The long-term aim (25 years) is to convert Nuevo León in one of the 25 most competitive regions in the
world.
To this end, the Act to Promote the Development of Knowledge and Technological Innovation of the
State of Nuevo León, adopted in late September of 2009, provides the framework of a state policy
where government, business and universities work together under the triple helix model in strategies
and lines of action for previously identified strategic sectors and technology areas that will impact on
the competitiveness of Nuevo León.
In Nuevo León, the research park Parque de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica (PIIT) and the high
technology incubators built in its premises have been the main instrument in which the tools, policies
and strategies to incentivize cooperation between universities, research centers and companies,
designed by the state government, come together to achieve the transformation of the local economy
and industry. The aim is to convert research done at the research centers and universities into new
products and services, leading to more efficient operational processes and focusing on new businesses
and technologies. There are several actions taken at regional level in the state of Nuevo León for the
establishment of competitive “knowledge clusters” specifically for the development of the
nanotechnology cluster, that are based on its interaction with the research park and the Nanotech
incubator. We will review those and their effect in the productive, technological and innovative
capabilities of the regional industry and the regional innovation ecosystem.
Clusters built around knowledge hubs are becoming increasingly important in driving innovation. Worldclass clusters like Silicon Valley, Cambridge UK, feed off the excellence of the local knowledge base,
and it is this that enables them to attract private investment from around the world. There are three
features of a successful cluster. First, while they are usually created around local and regional
strengths, exploiting synergies and responding to real market opportunities, they are not artificially
created by the public sector. Second, successful clusters are ones that cooperate with fellow clusters to
drive open innovation, as is evident in the microelectronics sector, for example. And third, successful
clusters are able to attract private investment in R&D to support high tech start-ups.1
Nuevo León’s cluster initiatives take the model such as described by Sölvell, where the Cluster
initiatives are organized efforts to enhance the competitiveness of a cluster, involving private industry,
public authorities and/or academic institutions2, involving:
1. Different member firms and organizations (three main types of actors: private, public and
academic)
2. A cluster organization (CO) with an office, cluster facilitator/manager, website etc.
3. Governance of the initiative (e.g., constellation of CO board)
4. Financing of the initiative (international/national/regional/local public funding, member
fees, consulting, etc.)
To date, there are nine clusters integrated in the sectors of: aerospace, automotive and auto parts,
electro-domestic appliances, agro-alimentary, IT and software, health services, biotechnology,
nanotechnology and sustainable housing. It is in these strategic areas in which Nuevo León’s sets out to
concentrate the efforts on innovation in existing companies and to attract new ones, using the PIIT
research park facilities and high tech incubators.
II.
METHODOLOGY
The Nanotechnology cluster (NC) and the Nano tech incubator (NI) at the PIIT are connected in their
mission to transform the traditional industrial sectors of the state (ceramic, glass, steel, polymers and
food industry) through the incorporation of nanotech processes and materials into their products, for
which purpose they are encouraging the selection of strategic projects between the members of the
cluster, and the formation of consortia for research and development with support of state and federal
research funds. Additionally, both are engaged in the promotion of spin offs and the commercialization
of available research done at the centers and universities, using the resources of the Innovation Fund
FONLIN, (Fondo Nuevo León para la Innovación). The NI is technologically supported by the Center for
Research in Advanced Materials, a member of the NC cluster, and the startup companies or spin offs
from the universities can take advantage of the business and technology commercialization advice given
in partnership with the IC2 Institute of the University of Texas at Austin.
a. Context Analysis
In Mexico there is broad potential for Nanomaterials and the Nanointermediates (intermediate goods
built with nanomaterials). It is estimated that sales to achieve over the next 10 years by $1500 Million
Mexican Pesos, data based on a market study carried out by the Ministry of economy in 2008. In that
same year, a first study and analysis of the market in the Northern region, in particular the State of
Nuevo Leon showed that at least 25 companies were interested in participating in nanotechnology
projects and eventually participate in the Nanotechnology cluster.3 To date, there are 35 members in
the cluster.
One of the reasons for the creation of Nuevo León nanotechnology cluster was the dissemination of the
research done at universities to companies in the form of projects to accelerate product development
and to find solutions to problems posed by the market. To accelerate the process, the installation of
the nanotechnology incubator (member and an essential component of the cluster) with pilot plant
facilities that is able to develop and produce larger quantities products than a laboratory, was deemed
essential to allow the promotion of joint research projects carried out on prior to industrial escalation.
1
Section 3, p.8, CLUSTERING FOR GROWTH- How to build dynamic innovation clusters in Europe, Science Business
Innovation Board, Science Business Publishing Ltd 2008.
2
Sölvell, Ö., G. Lindqvist & C. Ketels. 2003. The Cluster Initiative Greenbook. Stockholm: Ivory Tower
3
Acevedo, J., González, J., Nanotechnology cluster working paper. 2009.
b. The objectives of the Nanotechnology Cluster (NC) and the Nano tech Incubator (NI)
According to Sölvell 4 , there are several objectives that are common to successful cluster initiatives:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Qualified Human resources.
Cluster expansion.
Business development.
Commercial cooperation.
Innovation.
Regional Branding.
The NC and the NI of Nuevo León aim to contribute to the formation of expert human capital
development, the attraction of funds for the implementation of projects and new business based on
materials or applications related to nanotechnology. Both are the instruments to create the necessary
conditions for reaching the goal of having at least 100 companies adopting nanotechnology in product
development by the year 2015. The NC seeks also to be the most successful Regional innovation system
in the country, favoring the transfer of technology and knowledge among the members of its network
and consequently incrementing the number of companies in the region dedicated or using
Nanotechnology.
c. Strategies and Main Steps for developing the NC-NI in Nuevo León.
Nuevo León’s nanotechnology cluster has two equally important strategic aspects: (a) on the one hand,
the development and maintenance of a "pipeline" of nanotechnology products reaching the market,
through innovation projects in consortia of the major industrial groups; and on the other hand (b) the
creation of new technology based companies with mature innovation projects more disruptive, but of
great importance in the generation of Mexican technology and the enrichment of existing industrial
value chains.
To achieve these objectives, the NC has taken advantage of the funds and resources available through
federal and state programs, and was instrumental in the definition of the research and pilot plant
facilities of the Nano tech incubator. Another important factor is the international strategic alliances
that the cluster has made with the American Nanotechnology Network Initiative and with European
research centers. The NC takes into account the good practices for cluster development that have been
shared by Conicella5, who emphasizes the importance of the role of Incubators and Science Parks in the
development of new companies and the technology transfer from the universities and research centers
to the industry.
The cluster has as main actors the State University (UANL), the most prestigious private university in
Mexico, (Monterrey TEC), the Center for Research in Advanced Materials (CIMAV), Center for
Engineering and Industrial Development (CIDESI) Center, the Center for Research in Applied Chemistry
(CIQA), the Institute for innovation and Technology Transfer of the State of Nuevo León (I2T2) and more
than 20 companies, including Sigma foods, Prolec GE, Metalsa, Cemex, Viakable, Lamosa, Porcelanite,
Alpha Industrial, Univex and Owens Corning.
The cluster’s operation is organized in four committees, each chaired by important members of the
industry community. Those are:
4
5
Sölvell, Ö, 2009. Clusters-Balancing Evolutionary and Constructive Forces, IVORY TOWER PUBLISHERS
Conicella, F., Biotech clusters development in Europe: between market and policies. An Italian experience,
Daedeok International Conference on Innovation Cluster (ICIC) 2008
Committee on innovation and technology transfer. Major projects of this Committee are: (a)
the establishment of a management system for the "pipeline" of the cluster mainly based on the
"stage gate" methodologies for the management of the development of new products; and (b)
the structuring of a system of technology intelligence that allows the cluster partners monitor
relevant aspects of nanotechnology.
Committee on strategy and expansion. Major projects of this Committee are: (a) the
development of the 5-year Strategic Plan, including foresight and technology roadmaps, (b) the
development of a value model / application for each one of the most important industrial
sectors in the economy of Nuevo Leon, focused on solution of specific problems related to
materials and processes; (c) the establishment of a web platform for collaboration between the
associated members of the cluster in a thematic "hub" collaborative type of open innovation;
and (d) the establishment of the institutional image of the cluster.
Strategic Talent Development Committee. Major projects of this Committee consist of (a) the
development of industrial training programs in nanotechnology for cluster members and (b) the
development of inter-institutional graduate programs in nanotechnology.
Committee on financing and development of new business. The main project of this
Committee consists of institutionalized mechanisms for private investment in new technology
based companies. The formats currently in development contain elements of the traditional
groups of investors "Angeles" but infrastructure and industry venture capital or "venture Capital"
formats.
The Nano tech incubator plays a key role in each of these committees, as it acts as an accelerator for
starting business in nanotechnology, it facilitates the technology transfer to the enterprises, and it
provides access to seed capital funds and promotes the formation of specialized human resources. The
cluster has already identified several projects that will be carried out in the incubator as consortia
research projects:
Manufacture of Nano-compounds in polymer matrices
Nanoparticles as metallurgy materials reinforcement
Coatings nanostructured for metal parts subjected to wear
Multifunctional coatings for glass, ceramics and metals
Dispersion of Nano-particles in polymeric materials
III.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NANO TECH INCUBATOR.
The incubator is one of four high
technology
incubators
(Biotechnology, Sustainable Housing
and Information Technology) to be
located at the PIIT. The research
park has an expansion of 70
Hectares (173 acres) and will house
9 University Research Centers, 9
Government Research Centers,12
Private
Companies’
Research
Centers, with a total investment of
$300
Million
Dollars
between
government,
universities
and
companies.
By 2015, will house
more than 4,000 r&d personnel, and
an expansion is planned for this year,
to accommodate another 10-20
research centers.
it provides not only physical space and consulting for business operation but research laboratories and
pilot plants to assist with idea development and testing to attract investment. Mexican scientists have
developed successfully four of the six manufacturing platforms and their technical processes for Nano
materials and their application in existing industrial products to change their properties.
The services the NI offer for R&D projects of existing companies, and to entrepreneurs, scientists, new
companies include:
1. Fabrication of Nano-materials at pilot scales:
Nano-particles
Supported Nano-materials
Nano-composites
Nano-structured coatings
2. Process simulation
3. Business consulting
4. Technical assistance
5. Marketing consulting
6. Access to seed and venture capital
The incubator is supported and directed scientific and technologically by the Center for Research in
Advanced Materials, S.C. (CIMAV), a center of the network of the National Council for Science and
technology (CONACYT). The incubator also has forged an alliance with Texas University and local
universities to provide technology assessment, evaluation and business advice to the entrepreneurs.
a. Technology Platforms
The platforms comprise the following:
Wet chemistry platform, for producing particles controlling size and composition by chemical
reactions in solution with production levels up to 5 kilograms per hour.
Nanotube Technology Platform, with a pyrolysis process to manufacture carbon nanotubes with
different characteristics of length, diameter and wall thickness.
The Aerosol Assisted CVD Technology Platform, for manufacturing nanostructured coatings on
glass, metals, ceramics and plastics to add hardness, optical, electrical and antibacterial
properties. The platform has a yield level of 50 kilograms per hour.
Functionalization platform, a system the functionalization of nanoparticles to assure dispersion
and bonding with a production capacity of kg/h, in a wide variety of products, like carbonates,
hydroxides, oxides, metals, compound materials, and graphene.
Fabrication of nano-composites using extruders with the best technology, to increase
nanoparticle dispersion to obtain high-quality products.
The Nano tech incubator and the research personnel, working jointly with the researchers of the
private companies, have developed with great success antibacterial coating for toilets, multifuntional
coatings for textiles, UV resistant fabrics for agro-industrial applications, wear-resistant coatings for
tools, waterproof paper and metal alloys that improve the performance of vehicle engines. There is
already a start-up Company Nanomateriales that has closed its first deal with a local manufacturer.
These projects, as have already been mentioned, have the support of research centers already
established in the PIIT, such as CIMAV Research Center for Advanced Materials and CIDESI, Center for
Engineering and Industrial Development. They provide support not only making available for the cluster
a strong team of Mexican scientists skilled in the art, but for the development of the operational
structure of the incubator and of the companies that are willing to embark in the new technologies to
produce high value added products.
The Incubator for Nanotechnology has access to financial resources and seed capital, Nuevo León Fund
for Innovation, FONLIN, channels financial resources amounting to $ 200,000 dlls per proposal to
support the creation and development of new businesses based on innovation.
b. Project Realization at the Nano Tech Incubator
Once the project has been approved by the cluster or the company to be carried out at the incubator
facilities, there are a series of actions that take place and that are carried out by the Nano tech
incubator on behalf and/or accompanying the company or researcher in charge. These are
Patent Analysis
Market Analysis (SWOT)
Manufacturing Platform selection
Process Simulation
Experimental Design
Platform Testing
Functionalization
Prototyping and delivery of final product
The incubator has acquired access to databases to carry on the business and technology intelligence,
and has developed jointly with the Nanotechnology cluster, a sophisticated software tool that can be
tailored to a specific scientific field, in this case, nanotechnology, that will allow the interaction of
scientists and companies, sharing knowledge, information and best practices.
IV.
CONCLUSIONS. Nanotechnology Incubator Investment and expected impacts
To date, these are the investment and facilities, as well as the expected results of the incubator:
• Investment of 10 Million USD (first stage)
•
6 pilot plants with the technological platforms defined.
• 11,000 ft2 for the pilot plants labs and offices.
• Expected 80% of use of the pilot plants in two years.
• Expected five new companies created for the incubator in the first 2 years.
SCIENTIFIC IMPACT
The NC-NI initiative will create synergy to combine scientific knowledge from several academic
institutions and link them with the industrial sector, promoting the creation of knowledge in
nanotechnology for the members of the cluster, region and country. The sharing and the actual building
of the experimental facilities has spurred the local universities and the students at graduate level into
looking for a career in nanotechnology, causing a substantial increase in the number of graduates in
national and international nanotechnology specialization programs. Concurrently, there will be an
increase in the number of publications in specialized high-impact and indexed journals in the next few
years, as well as in the generation of patents.
The incubator has already, in conjunction with the cluster and the National Council for Science and
Technology, identified and focused on research themes at regional and national interest, being the only
facility in the country capable of doing pilot plant scale projects.
TECHNOLOGY IMPACT
The NI-NC initiative facilitates and encourages the use of their world-class facility in nanotechnology,
which will enable the run of tests and evaluations in order to reduce the cost of manufacturing of Nano
materials and thereby accelerating their incorporation into the products of companies identified as
potential users. The NI promotes the institutionalization of collaborative schemes for the creation of
technological platforms for manufacturing a wide range of nanotechnology applications, which opens up
the possibilities of generating new high-tech businesses.
SOCIAL IMPACT
The new processes and products demand both graduate and professional as well as technicians skilled in
nanotechnology and its characterization and management processes creating new jobs. Generation of
cutting-edge knowledge will allow better income jobs and the ability to compete globally in
nanotechnology. Dissemination of knowledge that will open more educational options that can generate
a greater number of students interested in science. In optimizing the processes of manufacturing firms
that represent 18% of GDP, it is expected to reduce the use of non-renewable raw materials and the
creation of alternate sources of energy.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
In the short term, the NI-NC initiative is expected to create jobs for masters and doctorate graduates,
and in engineering and technical specialists within the constituency of members of the cluster. At
medium term, the multiplier effect of the NI-NC initiative will increase the demand of skilled
professionals at national and regional levels. The creation of new business from this project will bring
an increase in the hiring of personnel with better qualifications, hence with higher salaries.
It has been estimated that the increase in sales for the companies participating in the Nuevo León’s NINC initiative will be of at least 40 MMUSD over the next 3 years, taking into account only the projects
identified so far without considering the synergies and benefits obtained have greater links with
academic institutions and companies. The sales generation after the sixth year is expected in the order
of 100 to 150 million dollars per year.6
Another expected result is the creation of technology-based companies, as well as the improvement in
the competitiveness of existing ones that are of great importance in the GDP of the country. Also, it
will encourage the creation of positions in the national research system for researchers and technicians,
both at research institutions and industry.
At almost two years since its creation, the nanotechnology cluster of Nuevo León is consolidating its
national prestige as a new option for growth and competitiveness of local and regional businesses. With
the help of the Nano technology incubator, it is the flagship of a new model of development for the
State of Nuevo Leon and other states in the country. The nanotechnology incubator is an efficient
instrument to promote competitiveness and businesses of the new economy, and in conjunction with
PIIT, maximizes the regional innovation ecosystem to promote synergy between universities, research
and industry, with the support of the Government of the State, the Federal Government centers, newly
created instruments for access to venture and angel capital, and a strong international and regional
network.
6
Acevedo, J., González, J., Nanotechnology cluster working paper. 2010