Nanotechnology worldwide is poised to grow dramatically. It is difficult to determine the end game, but governments and private institutions are increasing their funding dramatically.  Global funding has increased five fold to €2bn over 5 years. Leading multinationals, particularly from the chemical and electronics industry, will capture much of the potential market.

However, the impact of the technology will be so widespread, that Enterprise Ireland is actively working with companies to ensure early adoption of the technology. In particular, Enterprise Ireland is helping companies to use the technology to meet market demands and to achieve competitive advantage in the areas of Engineering, Electronics, Construction, Medical Devices, Medical Plastics and General Plastics.

High levels of activity in Irish research centres underpin Irelands position as an early adopter of the technology. The quality and extent of nanotechnology research activity is already considered high relative to international standards with 130 researchers working primarily in 10 research groups. Investment by the State in recent years in new centres of excellence, (Higher Education Authority, Science Foundation Ireland) particularly in electronics, sensors and materials, ensures that Irish companies have access to world-class research and a highly trained workforce for the future.

Nanotechnology Research Groups in Ireland

National Microelectronics Research Centre
The NMRC created a dynamic and visionary R&D environment for advanced information and communication technologies (ICT) based research with a broad research agenda from optoelectronics and nanotechnology to microelectronics and ICT/Life Sciences.

National Centre for Sensor Research
The National Centre for Sensor Research is a large-scale, multidisciplinary, sensor research centre focused on the science and applications of chemical sensors and biosensors.

Department of Chemistry, University College Dublin
The group studies the, preparation and characterisation of nanocrystallites, preparation and characterisation of nanostructured materials, self-assembly of organised nanostructures, smart window and display devices nanocrystal and drug delivery.

Department of Chemistry, University College Cork
The Dimensional Solids Group at UCC was formed to allow a 'critical scientific mass' to be formed in the synthesis of nanostructured materials specifically in structured mesoporous materials, the defect chemistry of lanthanide and related oxides and high temperature catalysis.

Department of Physics, University of Dublin
The group has a wide range of research interests including semiconductor optoelectronics, molecular electronics, polymer-carbon nanotube interactions, functional materials, magnetism and spin electronics.

Sami Nasr Institute for Advanced Materials Science
The research work undertaken by the Institute seeks to provide an improved understanding of inter-relationships among synthesis, processing, and performance of materials, and a description of their structure, composition and properties at the atomic, molecular, microscopic and macroscopic levels. 

Department of Chemistry, University of Dublin
Research in the department includes supramolecular assemblies, preparation of magnetic nanosized particles and nanoparticle assemblies, nucleic acid targeted photosensitizers.

Materials and Surface Science Institute
The Materials and Surface Science Institute provides a world class centre of excellence generating state-of-the-art fundamental research on topics of industrial significance in the fields of surface science and materials. The Institute focuses on research in the areas of catalysis, active materials, structural materials and interfacial science.