Nov 30 2007
Unidym, Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary of Arrowhead Research Corporation (Nasdaq:ARWR), announced today that Unidym's founder, Professor George Gruner, has been selected as a visionary Technology Pioneer for 2008 by the World Economic Forum and has been invited to speak at the upcoming WEF Technology Pioneers Conference in Davos, Switzerland, this January. Unidym is a leader in the development and manufacture of carbon nanotubes for applications in the electronics industry. Unidym, which recently merged with Carbon Nanotechnologies, Inc. (CNI), possesses a foundational patent portfolio that covers nearly every aspect of carbon nanotube manufacturing and processing.
The Technology Pioneers 2008 were nominated by the world’s leading technology experts, including venture capitalists, technology companies, academics and media. The final selection from 273 nominees was made by a panel of leading technology experts appointed by the World Economic Forum. Technology Pioneers 2008 are invited to participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008 that will be held in Davos, Switzerland, from January 23-27, 2008, and in the Annual Meeting of the New Champions that will be held in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, from September 25-27, 2008.
"Unidym is very proud to have Professor Gruner named a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum," said Arthur L. Swift, President and CEO. "This prestigious award is a tribute to the innovative work of Dr. Gruner and the entire research and engineering team at Unidym. Carbon nanotubes may be one of the most important emerging technology platforms of the new millennium, and as such, we are gratified by the recognition of our technology leadership."
Unidym leads in the development, manufacture, and application of carbon nanotubes (CNTs): a novel class of materials with extraordinary electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties. Unidym’s initial product is a CNT-based transparent, conductive film that offers improved performance and lower costs than ITO in applications such as touch panels, LCDs, and solar applications. Unidym is also rapidly developing CNT-based active and passive components to address the growing markets in printable and flexible electronics. Unidym licenses intellectual property (IP) to a growing number of companies who are aggressively exploring other uses of CNTs in various markets.
Dr. Gruner is a Distinguished Professor of Physics at the University of California Los Angeles, as well as founder of Unidym, a company pioneering research into CNT-based films and transistors. He has served as a consultant to and advisory board member for numerous companies and government agencies, including IBM, Exxon, and Superconductor Technologies, Inc. From 2001 to 2004, Dr. Gruner was the Chief Technical Officer and Chief Scientist of Nanomix Inc., a role for which he also received the World Economic Forum’s Technology Pioneer Award. Dr. Gruner has published over 400 papers and 2 books and is the inventor of over 30 patents and patent applications, all in the field of nanotechnology. He is one of the 200 most "Highly Cited Scientists" in the field of physics worldwide.
Technology Pioneers are companies or people that have been identified as developing and applying highly transformational and innovative technologies in the areas of energy, biotechnology and health, and information technology. To be selected as a Technology Pioneer, a company must be involved in the development of life changing technology innovation and have the potential for long-term impact on business and society. In addition, it must demonstrate visionary leadership, show all the signs of being a long-standing market leader – and its technology must be proven. Previous Technology Pioneers have included Business Objects, Cambridge Silicon Radio, Corel Corporation, Encore Software, Google, Mozilla Corporation, and Napster.
The entire list of Technology Pioneers and interviews with the CEOs of the selected companies can be found here: http://www.weforum.org/techpioneers/2008.
"This year the World Economic Forum received a record number of applications from companies around the world to become a Technology Pioneer. From a highly competitive field, we are extremely pleased to have a community that is using innovation and technology to dramatically affect the way society and business operate and doing so in a markedly collaborative manner. We are excited to welcome the Technology Pioneers class of 2008 to the larger community of the World Economic Forum and we are looking forward to the fruits that their collaboration will bring," said Peter Torreele, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum.