(318f) Nanoscale Materials, Inc.; Founded 1995; Nanoactive® Products for Environmental Protection and Remediation

The story behind a successful spin-out from Kansas State University began in 1985 with the establishment of Linken Technologies. Lack of business expertise and time did not allow for success. However, in 1995, with the help of the Mid American Commercialization Corporation (MACC), a company was founded, originally named Nantek. MACC, sponsored by joint funding from the state of Kansas, the city of Manhattan, and K-State University, helped with management, accounting, and assisting with securing initial grants and investments by local and state organizations, and an entrepreneurial center. Through SBIR grants, over $15 million over nine years, private stock sales, and sales of products, the company has grown to 40 employees, and in 2002, occupied a 20,000 square foot building, especially designed and built for NanoScale. Mortgage financing was aided by the K-State Foundation. NanoScale specialized in products and R&D in environmental remediation and related areas by taking advantage of the high reactivity and high surface areas of nanoparticulate metal oxides, both as ultrafine powders, porous granules, and slurries. Also, a series of NanoActive® metal oxides are sold to laboratory researchers and companies that are incorporating the NanoActive® materials into various products. One branded product, FAST-ACT® (First Applied Sorbent Treatment Against Chemical Threats), is available to customers that include, police, first responders, fire fighters, soldiers, and laboratory workers. Through SBIR funding from DOD, NSF, EPA, and NIH, a great deal of data has been collected on NanoActive® materials. Scaled-up manufacturing was aided especially by NSF funding. Extensive toxicological studies with animal models have shown that many of the NanoActive® materials, including those in FAST-ACT®, are safe to use and do not have a negative environmental impact.