Nanotech Week

From Nanowerk

Nanogate AG was named overall winner of this year’s STEP Award yesterday evening. The prestigious award was made in recognition of the Saarbrücken-based nanotechnology company’s innovation and growth. The presentation ceremony was a gala event held on the fiftieth floor of the Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt. The award is worth €100,000.

Nanogate AG made the running to win the overall award from among many top-class international applicants. The STEP Award, made by the F.A.Z.-Institut, Infraserv Höchst and many well-known sponsors, goes to SME growth companies in innovative fields ranging from pharmaceuticals, chemicals, life science, biotechnolgy, nanotechnology and materials management to renewable energy. They must be committed to the “spirit to expand” and have great future potential. The award, which is worth €100,000, is intended to give outstanding companies a major boost to help them achieve further positive development. The €50,000 cash component will influence the company’s result positively in financial year 2007.

Nanogate AG, a listed company, convinced an independent jury of representatives of business and scientific research with its innovative products and high-growth development. In recent years Nanogate AG has developed into a leading international enabler in the field of chemical nanotechnology and remains on course for success. As a product enhancer and partner in innovation Nanogate offers its customers numerous services along the value chain: from development and production of innovative nanocomposites and material systems to strong support for innovation and product integration.

The award was presented and speeches were made by Roland Mohr, general manager of Infraserv Höchst, and Volker Sach, general manager of the F.A.Z.-Institut. Nanogate CEO Ralf Zastrau accepted it. It consists of €50,000 in cash and an extensive service package of equivalent value that will support the company in its forthcoming growth phase.

“We are very proud to have won the overall STEP Award prize this year,” Ralf Zastrau said. He was delighted that the jury had shown appreciation of his company’s profitable growth and sustainable development. “In our work we create on a daily basis product and application innovations that give our customers a clear competitive edge,” he said. “In recent years we have made Nanogate a powerful market participant and are now extending our international profile significantly. This award made in recognition of our commitment is an extra motivation and we are delighted with this
support in implementing our company’s next phase.”

See Press Release 3i, 2006