What Happens If Your Commercial Partner Fails to Commercialise Your Technology?

Here’s a question that worries every technology transfer department and any innovative company that partners with a large multinational company – what if they mess it up or even try to kill it? The Wall Street Journal reports on a High Court action tomorrow where Ploughshare Innovations, who licence the intellectual property for the Ministry of Defence’s Porton Down Laboratory, and …

Reality vs The Nanotech Lynch Mob

I don’t like nanomaterials companies very much. In fact they are usually nothing but trouble. If they are not squandering huge amounts of investors money chasing non existent markets then they are having messy legal spats with competitors and suppliers, or even prancing around bringing hugely expensive but ultimately pointless libel suits against anyone who questions their business model. Anyway, …

A Moment to Savour?

Regular readers will know all about the saga of Oxonica, the small university spin out that managed an IPO and then spent the following few years bogged down in legal battles while losing 95% of its value before finally delisting and scattering its executives to the four winds – presumably before they were ripped limb from limb by irate shareholders. …

Oxonica De List from AIM

The ‘Investors‘ page on the Oxonica site looks a bit bare today, after their de-listing from the AIM market yesterday. The move was billed as a cash saving measure. Presumably updating the web site less frequently is a similar tactic.

A Tale of Two Quantum Dots

With a heavy heart I predicted a few high profile nanotechnology failures this year, and Evident Technologies are the latest to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. In common with Oxonica, Evident found themselves in a patent infringement fight with someone with deeper pockets then them, in this case Life Technologies (formerly Invitrogen) who got into the business by acquiring …

Swine Flu or a Common Cold? Our Nanotech Can Tell In Seconds

A criticism that has been levelled at nanotechnology is that after over $50 billion dollars of government funding, not much of use has emerged – yet. As someone involved on the investment side of business for a long time, finding opportunities that can be commercialised and profitable has been one of the hardest things to do. However, a lot of …

UK To Require Flourescent Jackets & Hard Hats For Scientists?

The UK government “outlined a number of pledges to ensure the responsible development” of nanotechnologies today, After what must have taken the various committees several man centuries to get any kind of agreement on, Science Minister Lord Drayson thundered: “The Government is committed to the responsible development of nanotechnologies. We will work with all interested parties – including the public …