US embassy cable - 02ROME5589

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 005589 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR STAS/REYNOLDS AND OES/STC 
 
WHITE HOUSE FOR OSTP/HALL 
 
EUR/ERA FOR WAXMONSKY 
 
DEPT PASS NSF FOR SENIOR ADVISOR FOR NANOTECHNOLOGY/ROCO, 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05589  01 OF 03  181437Z 
CHEMISTRY/ELLIS AND OIA/PIEROLLE AND HUDSON 
 
PARIS FOR NSF REP SCHINDEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TSPL, KSCA, TPHY, KSCA, TPHY, KSCA, TPHY, IT, ITTSPL, ITTSPL 
SUBJECT:  NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY CLUSTER IN VENETO READY 
FOR LAUNCH 
 
1.  SUMMARY.  ESTCOUNS AND SCI SPECIALIST VISITED THE 
UNIVERSITY OF PADUA NANOTECHNOLOGY PROJECT, A FRAMEWORK 
AGREEMENT BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP 
AN INTERNATIONALLY-COMPETITIVE HIGH-TECH CLUSTER IN VENETO 
(NORTHERN ITALY).  THE PROJECT, CO-FUNDED BY THE RESEARCH 
MINISTRY, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND INDUSTRY, IS BASED ON 
LEADING RESEARCH FACILITIES, HIGH-TECH INDUSTRY AND A GOOD 
NETWORK OF INVESTORS.  THE UNIVERSITY SHOWED GREAT INTEREST 
IN COOPERATING WITH A US NANOTECHNOLOGY CENTER AND IN 
PARTICIPATING IN A BILATERAL SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOP IN THE 
FUTURE.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  ON OCTOBER 30, THE UNIVERSITY OF PADUA BRIEFED ESTCOUNS 
AND SCI SPECIALIST ABOUT THE NANOTECHNOLOGY CLUSTER PROJECT 
BY THE UNIVERSITY RECTOR MORANDINI, PROF. RENATO BOSIO, AND 
SEVERAL CONSULTANTS FROM MCKINSEY.  THE IDEA OF A NANOTECH 
CLUSTER WAS BORN AFTER A JOURNEY IN THE U.S. DURING WHICH 
PADUA UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS VISITED UNIVERSITY-BASED 
NANOTECH CENTERS.  THE PROJECT WAS DEVELOPED BY MCKINSEY AND 
A FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT WAS REACHED.  THE RESEARCH MINISTRY 
HAS ALREADY APPROVED CO-FUNDING OF THE PROJECT, AND THE 
MINISTER IS EXPECTED TO SIGN THE FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT WITHIN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05589  01 OF 03  181437Z 
NOVEMBER 2002.  THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO JUMPSTART A 
"VIRTUOUS CIRCLE" AMONG DIFFERENT ACTORS, INCLUDING RESEARCH 
INSTITUTIONS, EXISTING COMPANIES AND START-UPS, IN ORDER TO 
ESTABLISH VENETO AS A REGION OF EXCELLENCE IN 
NANOTECHNOLOGIES IN EUROPE.  ACCORDING TO THE PRESENTATION, 
50 MILLION EURO WILL BE AVAILABLE BY THE END OF 2002 BUT THE 
CLUSTER BUDGET IS EXPECTED TO DOUBLE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. 
NOTE:  THIS WOULD BE THE SECOND HIGH-TECH CLUSTER FUNDED BY 
THE RESEARCH MINISTRY; THE FIRST ONE IS THE INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY CLUSTER IN TURIN.  END NOTE. 
 
----------------------- 
WHY NANOTECH IN VENETO? 
----------------------- 
 
3.  VENETO HAS BEEN ONE OF THE ENGINES OF ITALIAN INDUSTRIAL 
DEVELOPMENT FOR THE LAST DECADES, WITH MANY SMALL AND MEDIUM- 
SIZE COMPANIES FOCUSING IN EXPORTING NICHE TECHNOLOGIES. 
MOREOVER, THE REGION HAS THE HIGHEST ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND 
THE LOWEST FAILURE RATES IN THE EU.  AMONG ALL THE 
INDUSTRIAL SECTORS LOCATED IN THE AREA, MORE THAN 50 PCT IS 
DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY NANOTECHNOLOGIES APPLIED TO MATERIALS. 
IN ADDITION, MANY COMPANIES ARE ALREADY INVOLVED IN THE 
PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION OF NANOCOMPONENTS, OR VERY 
INTERESTED IN THEIR FUTURE APPLICATIONS.  RECENTLY, SOME 
LOCAL ENTITIES TOGETHER WITH THE UNIVERSITIES OF PADUA AND 
VENICE, LAUNCHED A PROJECT CALLED "NANO FABRICATION 
FACILITY", ON THE FOOTPRINT OF WHAT ALREADY HAPPENED IN 
CERTAIN U.S. UNIVERSITIES (E.G., CORNELL).  THE NFF MISSION 
IS TO HELP LOCAL ACADEMIA AND COMPANIES TO INVESTIGATE AND 
DEVELOP INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGIES.  IN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05589  01 OF 03  181437Z 
ADDITION TO THAT, THE NFF WILL TRAIN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND 
RESEARCHERS AS WELL AS EMPLOYEES OF INTERESTED COMPANIES. 
 
4.  SEVERAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES ARE CURRENTLY BEING CARRIED 
OUT IN THE AREA, SPANNING NANOTECHNOLOGY FOR MATERIALS, 
NANOELECTRONICS, AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY.  TWO LOCAL 
UNIVERSITIES, PADUA AND VENICE, AS WELL AS RESEARCH 
INSTITUTES, HAVE MORE THAN 500 RESEARCHERS AND PHD'S 
CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN ACTIVITIES DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO 
NANOTECHNOLOGY, WITH EXCELLENCE IN THE AREA OF THE 
PROPERTIES (STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL) OF MATERIALS. 
REGARDING APPLICATIONS, NANOPARTICLE COATINGS FOR AUTO- 
LUBRICATING SURFACES, FOR GOLD AND SILVER PROTECTION 
(IMPORTANT TO JEWELRY PRODUCTION), AND VERY THIN LAYER 
COATINGS FOR LIGHT-ABSORPTION IN GLASS ARE CURRENTLY BEING 
DEVELOPED, AS WELL AS A LIGHTER AND MORE RESISTANT 
NANOSTRUCTURED TEXTILE FOR MOTORCYCLE CLOTHING.  NOTE: 
THERE IS A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF METAL AND OF TEXTILE 
INDUSTRIES IN VENETO, WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON METAL 
ALLOYS AND ANTICORROSIVE COATINGS.  END NOTE. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
ACTORS INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT FOR A HIGH TECH CLUSTER 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
5.  THE VENETO NANOTECH CLUSTER IS STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ7356 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05589  02 OF 03  181437Z 
ACTION OES-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AMAD-00  CIAE-00  DODE-00  DOEE-00  DOTE-00 
      EB-00    EUR-00   OIGO-00  FAAE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    H-01 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   L-00     VCE-00   NASA-01  AC-01    NSAE-00 
      NSF-01   PM-00    ACE-00   TEST-00  R-00     PMB-00   SAS-00 
        /004W 
                  ------------------0A7D9A  181536Z /38 
P 181320Z NOV 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6954 
INFO ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE 
AMCONSUL MILAN 
AMCONSUL NAPLES 
AMCONSUL FLORENCE 
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 005589 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR STAS/REYNOLDS AND OES/STC 
 
WHITE HOUSE FOR OSTP/HALL 
 
EUR/ERA FOR WAXMONSKY 
 
DEPT PASS NSF FOR SENIOR ADVISOR FOR NANOTECHNOLOGY/ROCO, 
CHEMISTRY/ELLIS AND OIA/PIEROLLE AND HUDSON 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05589  02 OF 03  181437Z 
 
PARIS FOR NSF REP SCHINDEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TSPL, KSCA, TPHY, IT 
SUBJECT:  NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY CLUSTER IN VENETO READY 
FOR LAUNCH 
 
BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS.  IN DETAIL: 
 
EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS: 
 
THE UNIVERSITY OF PADUA, THE "CA' FOSCARI" UNIVERSITY OF 
VENICE, THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (CNR), THE NATIONAL 
INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR PHYSICS (INFN), THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE 
FOR THE PHYSICS OF MATTER (INFM), GALILEO SCIENTIFIC AND 
TECHNOLOGICAL PARK OF PADUA, AND VEGA SCIENTIFIC AND 
TECHNOLOGICAL PARK OF VENICE. 
 
GOVERNMENT 
 
THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY AND RESEARCH, AND THE 
LOCAL GOVERNMENT BRANCHES (THE REGION OF VENETO, PROVINCES 
OF PADUA AND VENICE, CITIES OF PADUA AND VENICE) 
 
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS 
 
FOUNDATION "CASSA DI RISPARMIO DI PADOVA E ROVIGO", AND 
FOUNDATION "CASSA DI RISPARMIO DI VENEZIA". 
 
INDUSTRIAL AND BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05589  02 OF 03  181437Z 
 
INDUSTRIAL FEDERATION OF VENETO, INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS OF 
THE PROVINCES OF PADUA AND VENICE, ASSOCIATION OF THE 
CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE OF VENETO, CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE OF 
PADUA AND VENICE, AND MAJOR COMPANIES HEADQUARTERED IN 
VENETO (E.G. BENETTON AND LUXOTTICA). 
 
----------------------- 
ACTIVITY TO BE LAUNCHED 
----------------------- 
 
6.  THE MAIN ACTIVITIES TO BE LAUNCHED BY THE CLUSTER 
INCLUDE:  TALENT ATTRACTION AND TRAINING (ESTABLISHING AN 
INTERNATIONAL  MASTER'S IN NANOTECH, INCREASING NUMBER OF 
PHD'S PER YEAR, OFFERING TEACHING POSITIONS TO INDUSTRY 
LEADERS); INCREASE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND INDUSTRIAL 
TESTING (HIRING INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN RESEARCHERS AND 
STRENGTHENING EQUIPMENT AND INDUSTRIAL TESTING FACILITIES); 
PROMOTION OF THE CENTER THROUGH INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS; 
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND ACTIVE SUPPORT OF START-UP 
COMPANIES. 
 
7.  ON NOV. 16, AS A FOLLOW UP OF OUR VISIT, PROF. BOSIO 
SENT US A LETTER PROPOSING SEVERAL JOINT ACTIVITIES 
INCLUDING THE ORGANIZATION OF WORKSHOPS TOGETHER WITH U.S. 
UNIVERSITIES ON FUNCTIONAL OR STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES OF 
MATERIALS, BILATERAL EXCHANGE OF RESEARCHERS, VISIT TO U.S. 
NANOTECH RESEARCH LABS, AND PROMOTE BILATERAL INTER- 
UNIVERSITY AGREEMENTS ON PHD'S PROGRAMS IN PHYSICS, 
CHEMISTRY, AND SCIENCE OG MATERIALS. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05589  02 OF 03  181437Z 
8.  EMBASSY COMMENT:  THE UNIVERSITY OF PADUA IS AMONG THE 
FIRST UNIVERSITIES SERIOUSLY TRYING TO CLOSE THE NOTORIOUS 
ITALIAN GAP BETWEEN UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND INDUSTRIAL 
APPLICATION.  A SPIN-OFF AND A PATENT OFFICE HAVE BEEN 
ESTABLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF PADUA TO ENCOURAGE INDUSTRY 
TO FUND APPLIED RESEARCH AND RESEARCHERS TO LISTEN TO 
INDUSTRY NEEDS.  THE ACTIVE INDUSTRIAL-ACADEMIC COOPERATION 
IS SHOWN BY THE NANOTECH APPLICATIONS CURRENTLY STUDIED (SEE 
PARA. 4 FOR DETAILS).  THE NANOTECHNOLOGY PROJECT, BASED ON 
LEADING RESEARCH FACILITIES, HIGH-TECH INDUSTRY AND AN 
INFLUENTIAL SPONSORSHIP OF BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS, 
HAS INTERNATIONAL AMBITION AND SEEMS TO BE ON THE RIGHT 
PATHWAY FOR SUCCESS.  THE UNIVERSITY SHOWED GREAT INTEREST 
IN COOPERATING WITH A U.S. NANOTECHNOLOGY CENTER.  EMBASSY 
WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE U.S. NANOTECH CENTERS AND 
THE NSF NANOTECH PROGRAMS, AND WORK WITH NSF, INTERESTED 
U.S. ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS AND PADUA UNIVERSITY IN 
ORGANIZING A SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOP TO EXPLORE COMMON AND 
COMPLEMENTARY RESEARCH DIRECTIONS. 
 
8.  POST IS ALSO AWARE OF THE NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY 
LABORATORY (NNL) LOCATED IN THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE 
PHYSICS OF MATTER (INFM) UNIT OF LECCE UNIVERSITY (SOUTHERN 
ITALY) AND CHAIRED BY PROF. ROBERTO CINGOLANI.  THE 60- 
RESEARCHER FACILITY IS FUNDED BY THE EU IV AND V FRAMEWORK 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ7357 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05589  03 OF 03  181437Z 
ACTION OES-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  CIP-00   COME-00 
      DINT-00  DODE-00  DOEE-00  ITCE-00  DOTE-00  EB-00    EUR-00 
      FAAE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00 
      ITC-01   L-00     VCE-00   NASA-01  AC-01    NSAE-00  NSF-01 
      PM-00    ACE-00   SP-00    STR-00   TEST-00  EPAE-00  PMB-00 
      SAS-00     /005W 
                  ------------------0A7DA0  181536Z /38 
P 181320Z NOV 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6955 
INFO ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE 
AMCONSUL MILAN 
AMCONSUL NAPLES 
AMCONSUL FLORENCE 
WHITE HOUSE WASHDC 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 005589 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR STAS/REYNOLDS AND OES/STC 
 
WHITE HOUSE FOR OSTP/HALL 
 
EUR/ERA FOR WAXMONSKY 
 
DEPT PASS NSF FOR SENIOR ADVISOR FOR NANOTECHNOLOGY/ROCO, 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05589  03 OF 03  181437Z 
CHEMISTRY/ELLIS AND OIA/PIEROLLE AND HUDSON 
 
PARIS FOR NSF REP SCHINDEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TSPL, KSCA, TPHY, IT 
SUBJECT:  NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY CLUSTER IN VENETO READY 
FOR LAUNCH 
 
RESEARCH PROGRAMS, THE INFM, MIUR, CNR, AND INFN.  REGARDING 
INDUSTRY LINKS, THE U.S. COMPANY AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES IS 
SPONSORING 3 YEARS R AND D PROGRAM - AND 5 PHD'S - ON 
PHOTONIC DEVICES.  THE INITIATIVE IS CALLED "AGILENT 
TECHNOLOGIES-UNIVERSITY OF LECCE FUTURES LAB".  END COMMENT. 
 
SKODON 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2002ROME05589 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED