NMP FP6: "Strategic impact, no revolution"

New knowledge was created - but it did not lead to commercialisation of nanotechnology, writes Oxford Research in an evaluation of the NMP FP6 programme.

The nanotechnology portion (NMP) of the sixth framework programme (FP6) for research funding, was quite successful with regard to the production and strengthening of excellent and new knowledge (but not necessarily 1st class knowledge), critical mass, shifts in research, and education/career chances/mobility of/for researchers.

Furthermore, a general increase in the market-orientation of R&D was achieved, as well as an increasing cooperation between academia and industry. But, it was hard to involve small and medium sized companies in the programme. The reason for this was both the complexity of the programme itself, and a lack of knowledge in companies.

"It also appears that NMP FP6-funded projects contributed more to the creation of new knowledge as well as to shifts in research towards exploitation and industrial utilisation than to commercialisation, yet", concludes Oxford Research.

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