The Second Nanotechnology International Forum organized by RUSNANO has come to an end. The plenary session of the Forum was opened by the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, who emphasized that the nanotechnology development is of special importance for the national economy.

A week with focus on nanotechnology and Russian science has seen Rosnano, and AFK Sistema announce they will invest half a billion dollars in the production of microchips, using 90 nanometers technology.

JSC SITRONICS (SITRONICS or the «Group») (LSE:SITR), a leading provider of telecommunications, information technology and microelectronic solutions in Russia and the CIS, with a growing presence in other EEMEA emerging markets, announced that it today signed the investment agreement to launch full-scale 90 nanometre microchip production in cooperation with the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies («RUSNANO»), Sistema and «NIIME and Mikron», which is part of the SITRONICS Microelectronics business division. The signing ceremony took place during a visit by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to the «NIIME and Mikron» facility in Zelenograd, Russia.

The new breakthrough of an international scientific group might be a microscopic step for the electronics industry, but a huge step for mankind. The scientists’ invention will allow making contemporary electronic devices even more compact. The scientists were able to reduce the thickness of copper conductors on printed circuits and the distance between them. Earlier unknown chemical reaction between copper and silicon made this breakthrough possible.

Nanotechnology breakthroughs will be essential in developing game-changing solutions to address world issues, such as energy shortages, environmental concerns and greater connectivity, said Alcoa (NYSE:AA) Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Mohammad A. Zaidi at Rusnanotech ’09, the second international nanotechnology forum held in Moscow Oct. 6–8.

“I believe that future growth drivers in business will focus on energy, environment, connectivity and the biomedical field,” Dr. Zaidi said.

The Head of Rusnano, Anatoly Chubais, says more innovation companies will come to market over the next few months, as his organisation looks to address framework issues for promoting Russia as a major high tech centre.

RUSNANO CEO Anatoly Chubais and LUKOIL President Vagit Alekperov signed a General Agreement on Strategic Cooperation between the companies within the framework of the Second Nanotechnology International Forum.

Under the document, the Parties will develop their cooperation in commercializing nanotechnology and introducing it in the oil and gas industry including in LUKOIL Group facilities.

To this end RUSNANO will provide companies within LUKOIL Group with information on nanotechnology projects in the oil and gas sector. The Parties will identify priority projects and regions to pilot te

This Agreement is signed for six years and aims at creating favorable organizational and legal basis for advanced development of nanoindusrty in the Perm Region.

Under the Agreement, the sides will define the most important organizational and infrastructure means to facilitate the development of nanotechnologies in education, science and industry of the region.

The Russian Corporation for Nanotechnologies and Sberbank signed the agreement aimed at coordinating the efforts for ensuring development of innovation infrastructure in the Russian Federation in the field of nanotechnologies, implementation of national projects for creating promising nanotechnologies and nanoindustry. The memorandum was signed as a part of the Second Nanotechnology International Forum opened today in Moscow.

The VTB Group and the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (Rusnano) are each planning to invest $50m in the creation of a Russian venture capital fund in cooperation with the U.S. venture company Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ), the companies' joint announcement reads. The initial size of the DFJ-VTB Aurora Fund is expected to amount to $100m.

Russian economic reform architect Anatoly Chubais hopes to marshal oligarch investment into establishing Russia as a world leader in high-tech nanoscience, helping wean his country off dependency on raw material sales.

Chubais has a reputation for getting seemingly impossible things done.

Ukraine's Education and Science Ministry and Russia's Federal Agency for Science and Innovation have signed a cooperation program envisaging the purchase of modern equipment and the pursuance of joint researches in the field of nanotechnologies, the ministry press-service announced.

The researchers will be provided with modern equipment needed for synthesis and diagnostics of nanoproducts.

Ukrainian and Russian scientists will be conducting basic and applied research.

In August, Obducat landed its first order in Russia when the Russian Academy of Sciences ordered a NIL system for use in research and development in nanoelectronics and photonics. Obducat now continues to create a distinctive image of itself by both exhibiting and speaking at ICMNE, International Conference Micro and Nanoelectronics, in Moscow on 5–9 October.

"This is a way of establishing contacts on a market where the technology development is still in an early stage.

A company based in Israel says it has developed a plasma gasification melting (PGM) technology that transforms municipal solid waste (MSW) into synthesis gas and products suitable for construction materials.

The extraordinary properties of Baytubes® carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have sparked new and highly promising lightweight design concepts that improve both energy efficiency and mechanical strength.