Driven in large part by the development of nanotechnology in Eastern Germany, Germany is one of the top four locations for nanotechnology worldwide. Within the framework of the conference series "US-German Conference on the commercialization of nanotechnologies," Germany Trade & Invest is presenting business opportunities for American companies and research institutes in the field of nanotechnology in Eastern Germany. Investor events will be held on February 23 in Austin, Texas, and February 25 in San Jose, California.

German research institutes are renowned in nanotechnology R&D, especially in the field of applied research. The federal government supports nanotechnology companies specifically with the quick transition from research developments to marketable products. The result is that there are more than 1,000 nanotechnology actors in Germany, of these almost 700 companies and over 30 regional clusters. Twenty years after the reunification of Germany, some of the most attractive investment possibilities are in Eastern Germany. The dynamic growth region offers rapid access to the technology markets in the European Union as well as excellent structures for technology transfer.

The event focuses on American companies active in this field, while also addressing research institutes and other experts that are driving nanotechnology forward. At the conference, innovative German-American companies and specialists in the field of technology transfer will discuss strategies for commercializing nanotechnology in Eastern Germany from applied research to marketability.

The keynote speaker will be Max Biberger, CEO of SDC Materials. Based in Arizona and producing in Eastern Germany, the company manufactures catalysts for the automotive, fine chemicals, and refinery industries in addition to supercomposites for military and aerospace applications.

Further speakers will include Andreas Ruckemann, CEO of the organic photovoltaics firm Heliatek, which is based in Dresden. Klaus-Dieter Weltmann, Director of INP, will also speak about achieving success in Eastern Germany. INP is Europe's largest non-university research institute active in the field of low-temperature plasma. Researcher Nikolay Ledentsov, who founded opto-electronic component manufacturer VI Systems at the Technical University of Berlin, will further address how the conditions in Eastern Germany have helped his company become a leading innovator in this field. And Nanostart AG CEO Marco Beckmann provides insight into business success from the perspective of a high-tech venture capitalist. Each of the featured speakers discusses a unique aspect of achieving success in Eastern Germany.

Germany Trade & Invest is the foreign trade and inward investment promotion agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The organization advises foreign companies looking to expand their business activities to the German market. It provides information on foreign trade to German companies that seek to enter foreign markets.