Hundreds of major industrial applications have been identified where nanotechnology products, devices and systems can bring significant improvements in product performance, life and cost; many with enormous market potential. The question is where to devote scarce resources to attain the best commercial success especially when research results open the door to many short term, mid term and long range possibilities.

Sygertech recommends specific actions to align your goals to immediately improve your venture. Your objectives may include commercializing and/or licensing nanotechnologies, producing nanomaterials in high volume, or developing next-generation manufactured products built from nano-products that leapfrog existing products and bulk technologies. Sygertech delivers customized strategies serving your needs including business plans for raising money or attracting commercial partners.

Sygertech offers a five-step approach for bringing nanotechnology research from the lab to a commercial enterprise. Depending on their current status and internal resources, Clients can select some or all of the following:

• Competitive Positioning - to find a long term sustainable position that maximizes commercial potential
• Validation of R&D - to focus research activities and protect intellectual property
• Marketing - with complete marketing plans and communications programs
• Operations Ramp Up - to evolve the research output from lab activities to mass production and related staffing
• Financing - by raising funding for continuing research, marketing and operations

An overview of how Sygertech helps commercialize nanotechnology research is as follows:

Sygertech works with management and researchers to define the main business options for the venture. The results are compared with other nanotechnology ventures, within the context of the most likely commercial opportunities, to show the relative strengths and weaknesses.

Sygertech validates key parameters by conducting in-depth interviews of existing and prospective customers, suppliers, partners, financiers, competitors and industry opinion leaders for defining specific industry and competitive criteria that will impact on success. This supplements extensive research of published sources including SEC filings, patents, journal articles, industry reports, web sites, etc.

Based on the available strategic options and the added intelligence on the market and competition, Sygertech will define the "ideal" positioning for the venture in terms of:

• Product and services offering
• Applications
• Nano and substitute bulk technologies and products
• Industrial and geographic markets
• Perceived value and benefits
• Scenarios for proceeding

Armed with market data and competitive intelligence, Sygertech reviews research publications and patents, and interviews researchers in order to validate current and proposed research and development activities. Areas of investigation include:

• Work performed
• Results obtained
• Creation of intellectual property
• Ownership and protection of intellectual property
• Metrics for comparison of intellectual property and research results with other related research centers and companies
• Future plans

Our consultants have advanced scientific degrees and the experience needed to grasp the essential elements of complex projects. Sygertech adds structure and credibility to your research and development program by developing R&D road maps, R&D project management systems, and technology transfer programs, and in setting up scientific committees.

We define winning market positions and deliver complete marketing plans. Our marketing consultants have the technology depth and background to quickly understand the essence of your offering and of your customer's needs. We have conducted over 100 research projects for diverse technology products/services involving in-depth interviews with industry leaders, including strategic buyers and leading competitors. Our research supports key objectives such as establishing effective distribution channels, validating product/service characteristics, making acquisitions, or qualifying major sales opportunities. With partner companies Sygertech develops sales collateral, proposals and web sites that articulate a clear and convincing message.

Sygertech works with management to identify the key criteria and risk factors for evolving the company's production from lab quantities to mass production. We assess the feasibility of ramping up to commercial volumes using in-house resources or subcontract manufacturers who could eventually become production partners. Some of the criteria for investigation include:

• Production flow diagram
• Validation of volume production strategy (in-house versus outsource)
• Interim production rates and rate controlling steps
• Timing and success rates for volume productions
• Quality control requirements and expected yields
• Unit costs
• Investments
• Risks

What's important to the nanotechnology investment community is not only the characteristics of the technology but also how the venture is packaged to demonstrate future success and reasonable risk. This packaging includes a clearly defined market opportunity, effective and protected technology that satisfies a commercial need, appropriate competitive positioning of the venture for future sustainability, a plan for producing the technology in high volume applications, and detailed financials showing how the investment will be spent. The credibility of the business plan along with a convincing validation is crucial for increasing the chance of raising funds.

We devise creative financing approaches to maximize the leverage from government assistance programs, tax credits and low cost debt. Sygertech is experienced in writing business plans that package technology ventures for specific investor objectives and has a track record in securing financing from private placements, banks, leasing firms and government sources.

Building upon the outcomes from the other commercialization activities, Sygertech will derive a business plan to permit the company to achieve sustainable domination in its recommended positioning. The business plan will identify competitive strategy, products, technology vision, partners, organization, processes, patents, production approach, risk contingencies, and other strategic issues.

Sygertech will develop financial models for projecting revenue from product sales and technology licensing, and also include costs, income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow. This will be used to demonstrate the growth of a prospective investment, along with the sources and uses of funds.

Sygertech will also identify the requirements for equity investment and a plan to leverage equity with government assistance and debt. Having completed over 1,200 successful mandates, Sygertech has developed vast experience to coordinate, prepare and follow-through applications for grants, tax credits and other government assistance programs to get the maximum available benefits and fast track approval.

For more information, please contact:
Neil Gordon, P.Eng., MBA
Partner - Nanotechnology
Tel: (514) 351-7878 ext 299
Fax: (514) 351-7545
n.gordon@sygertech.com