Nano & Cleantech Blog : Nanotechnology Lawyers & Attorneys : Foley & Lardner Law Firm : Clean Technology, Green Energy

Join nanotech and cleantech industry leaders for the 9th Annual NanoBusiness Alliance Conference taking place September 27 - 28, 2010 at the McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. This program will be held concurrently with the annual Water Innovations Alliance conference. Keynote speakers include William Moffitt, President & CEO of Nanosphere, Fabien Cousteau, Explorer and Aquatic Environmentalist, Kelly Carnes, President and CEO of TechVision21, and George Thompson, Government Programs Manger of Intel.

Our panel at 2:00pm on Monday, September 27, NNI’s Revised Commercialization Strategy: Know the Risks Involved to Safeguard Your IP, will address strategies for safeguarding your IP as you leverage NNI funding opportunities to reach the marketplace. The pending National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) Strategic Plan revision is considered to offer more share of the $1.8 billion projected budget on the transfer of new technologies into the commercialization path to nanotechnology and cleantech innovation in the coming year. Increased support of university-industry collaboration as been slated as a possible avenue of such acceleration.

So as not to jeopardize your IP rights, interested parties should understand the requirements and risks in leveraging this new avenue of funding. Join Foley IP and business attorneys, Dr. Steve Rutt, Dr. Jeff Lomprey, and Sven Riethmueller along with special guests Neil Kane, President of Advanced Diamond Technologies and Steve Wasko of Wasko & Associates, for an interactive discussion addressing highlights such as:

• Setting up subsidiaries or other structures to take advantage of government grant and project opportunities
• Business innovation grants and restrictions by governmental regulation 
• Bayh-Dole, IP and licensing rights for federally funded projects 
• Working with universities/other research centers and their tech 
• Negotiating the deal (considering the short–term and the long-term strategies) 
• Reasonable licensing and royalty structures

To register or for more details regarding the conference, please visit the NanoBusiness Alliance conference Web site.

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A new model for assessing a combined carbon – water - economic footprint was unveiled at the Milwaukee Water Summit held on July 19, 2010 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Laurent Auguste, President & CEO of Veolia Water North America presented a fascinating study on “The Blue Footprint”, using a Water Impact Index and a Carbon-Water-Economic Analysis which considers the quality, environmental stress, and volume of water used.

So what is a Blue Footprint™? ...

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The warm summer months have officially arrived, which means many people are compiling their summer reading lists for the beach, pool, or just sitting at home and enjoying a good book. Quench your thirst for knowledge about water with some of these books, magazines, and articles.

Robert Glennon's new book Unquenchable: America’s Water Crisis and What To Do About It is an excellent read. He not only discusses the water problems facing us, but he also offers some potential solutions. Why is it that Las Vegas, Nevada, a city built in the dessert, has lush golf courses, fountains, canals, and a seemingly endless ability to find water where none exists? Read the book and find the answer.

No one interested in the topic of water (and no one should not be interested in this critical topic) should miss the April 2010 National Geographic special edition on water. Interesting and informative stories and analysis; useful facts; great pictures; and helpful graphics. Did you know that 100 gallons of water costs $3.43 in Copenhagen; $1.65 in San Diego; and $0.05 in Buenos Aires?

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"Water promises to be to the 21st century what oil was to the 20th century: the precious commodity that determines the wealth of nations." (Fortune Magazine, May 15, 2000)

  For most people in the world, turning on a faucet in the kitchen to obtain unlimited clean drinking water is an unavailable luxury. As noted by FreeDrinkingWater.com, the World Health Organization states an alarming fact that 3.4 million people die each year from waterborne diseases. With oil-tainted bays and rivers and ever depleting fresh water supplies, the world is starting to truly appreciate that water is, indeed, a precious commodity. The demand for water continues to grow because of population growth and industrial expansion. Meanwhile, the world's fresh water supply is shrinking due to pollution, draining of underground aquifers, and climate change. With increasing demand and decreasing supply, water is quickly becoming one of the largest economic growth sectors in the world.

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Foley's 2009 Water Technology U.S. Patent Landscape Report Executive Summary highlights key water technology trends upon a review of 384 patents issued in 2008 in the U.S. among seven different water technology categories: purification, desalinization, metering, irrigation, treatment, conservation, and hydro power. This analysis identifies the innovation that has taken place in water technology and, perhaps just as important, identifies areas where the patent/technology map shows opportunities for future innovation. 

Foley's Executive Summary can by found here. For more information or a copy of the full Water Technology U.S. Patent Landscape Report, please contact John Lazarus at jlazarus@foley.com or Barry Grossman at bgrossman@foley.com.

The next annual Water Technology U.S. Patent Landscape Report is scheduled for release in September of 2010.

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