Colorado is a national leader in nanotechnology.  With considerable statewide and federal support and a cutting edge university research facility, Colorado is one of the top three states nationwide in nanotechnology industry growth potential.  Additionally, Colorado is ranked 6^th in the nation for nanotechnology density, and the Nano Business Alliance selected Metro Denver as the location of one of the organization's three national offices.  With anticipated economic output of $2.6 trillion by 2014, nanotechnology is poised to have a transformative impact on the Colorado economy in the next ten years. 

In addition to all the reasons why Colorado is a preferred state to do any type of business, Colorado has specific and unique characteristics that make it particularly suited to success in nanotechnology.

• 75 companies in 20 cities throughout Colorado are currently involved in nanotechnology, 39.5% of which already have nanotech products on the market with applications in electronics, aerospace, agriculture and food, consumer goods, homeland security, biomedical, defense, environment and energy.
• A 'cluster' strategy in the development of nanotechnology research and commercial capacity allows for powerful partnerships between companies, universities and federal research facilities.
• Colorado's nationally recognized strengths in a variety of high tech disciplines, including bioscience, information technology, optics and photonics, promote and aid the growth of nanotechnology.
• Federal and private sector dollars for nanotechnology research are pouring into Colorado universities, including:
  • DARPA Focus Center on Nanoscale Science and Technology for Integrated Micro/Nano-Electromechanical Transducers at the University of Colorado, funded jointly by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
  • Micro/Nano-Fabrication Research and Teaching Laboratory at the University of Colorado
  • Center for Extreme Ultraviolet Science and Technology at Colorado State University
  • The Colorado School of Mines works with more than 100 companies in materials processing research, which includes the synthesis, processing and characterization of nanomaterials.
  • The University of Denver has 10 faculty who are involved in three federally funded nanotechnology research projects.  The school is in the process of raising funds to add additional new laboratory facilities.
  • The U.S. Air Force Academy has nanotechnology facilities for research geared toward information technologies and defense and homeland security interests.
• Federal laboratory resources enhance university capabilities.  In particular, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the National Institute of Standards and Technology offer significant nanotechnology research expertise and facilities.
• Colorado's naturally dry climate facilitates nanotechnology research, development, and ultimately production, as nanomaterials can be easily damaged by water absorption within a humid atmosphere.