About the Pennsylvania NanoMaterials Commercialization Center

The Center was founded in 2006 under the auspices of the Pittsburgh Technology Council by a consortium of four western Pennsylvania companies; Alcoa Technology, Bayer MaterialScience, PPG Industries and US Steel. Today, the Center enjoys partnerships with Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, Penn State University, Lehigh University, the Department of Community and Economic Development for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Air Force Research Labs and approximately 300 companies, organizations and individuals involved in nanotechnology.

The Center plays a critical role in accelerating the commercialization of nanomaterials research for new and enhanced products critical for U.S. commercial and defense needs.

Commercialization Grants available from the Pennsylvania NanoMaterials Commercialization Center are typically used to bridge the "Valley of Death" phase of development, between the technology proof-of-concept stage and the production of a customer-relevant prototype product. The first diagram below shows the "Valley of Death" stage.

The second diagram below illustrates how the Center's unique commercialization model minimizes risk for early stage companies.