FLANDERS NANO BIO ALLIANCE
The alliance
About our organization
The Flanders Nano Bio Alliance aims to create a dynamic, collective
voice for the Flemish small tech community.
The FNBA was created in 2006 by IMEC and the Government of
Flanders, Belgium. It is the Alliance's responsibility to help make
Flanders the most attractive place to live and work in a technology
minded society.
Read the vision of converging technologies.
The Flanders Region is a scuccessful knowledge-based society
where all instruments are present to sustain a leading position as
top creative region in the world. The Alliance represents all
nanotech-related actors in the Flemish research, business and
outreach communities worldwide, with a special focus on synergies
between these communities:
- World-class universities (Antwerpen, Brussel, Gent,
Hasselt, Kortrijk and Leuven), with excellent research and
teaching activities in the fields of science, engineering and
business management
- Strategic research centers (IMEC - nanotechnology, VIB -
biotechnology, VITO - materials research, IBBT -
broadband communications)
- A fast-growing high-tech industry in leading-edge
technology domains such as nanoelectronics, biotech,
pharma, smart logistics, etc., with global leadership roles
- Thematic competence centers and networks (e.g. DSP
Valley, FlandersBio) for technology transfer and innovation
in industry
- A highly-dynamic venture capital community active in
high-tech markets
- A full set of governmental stimuli and catalytic
instruments, combined with a clear vision to keep Flanders
in the top ranking position of high-tech regions.

People
Mission statement
FNBA aims to:
- promote nano and bio in
Flanders and in the world
- create synergies between
research, business and
outreach communities on
nano and bio
- Explore the opportunities of
nanobiotechnologies
- foster a dynamic and positive
mentality on the
opportunities of emerging
high-tech for our economy
and society
- develop public awareness
and public relations
campaigns to promote
emerging technologies,
industrial applications and
daily life benefits
- develop white papers and
industry directions for
marketing high technologies
- create direct access for
business to R&D teams in
universities and research
centers.
Executive Director
Jan Wauters, PhD
Tel. +1.917.306.0750
jan.wauters@flandersnanobio.org
Jan Wauters is the executive director and founder of FNBA. He has
over 20 years experience in science and technology, from research
to business development in the United States as well as in Belgium.
Currently, he is the Technology attache of Flanders Investment and
Trade New York, at the Consulate General of Belgium, where he
aims to expand Flanders' biotech and life sciences industry by
enhancing cooperation with US companies and organizations.
Prior to this, we was Director of Industry Relations at IMEC. Jan
holds over 100 publications in international journals.
Director of Outreach programs
Jo De Wachter, M. Sc.
Tel. +32.16.281.427
jo.dewachter@imec.be
Jo De Wachter combines over 10 years of experience
in communication strategies in the high tech industry
with an academic scientific background. He was the organizer of the
1st International Nanotech Outreach Workshop.
Jo (°1968) earned his BS in Physics in 1988 and his MS in
Experimental Nuclear Physics in 1990, from the Catholic University
of Leuven, Belgium. As a scientific researcher he designed and
performed materials research experiments in international
collaborations at the particle accelerator facilities of CERN
(Switzerland), GSI (Germany), LISOL and IMEC (Belgium). In 1997
he started working as a science communicator at the Earth
Observation Desk of the Belgian Royal Meteorological Institute,
Brussels.
He joined the Marketing and Public Relations Department of IMEC,
the world-leading independent research center in nanoelectronics
and nanotechnology, in 1998.
Currently, he is working at IMEC on a research project (imecexpo)
that examines new nanotech outreach strategies and the science -
society relationship. The imecexpo research project
(www.imecexpo.be) is a collaboration between IMEC (www.imec.be),
RVO-Society (www.rvo-society.be), Ad!dict Creative Lab
(www.addictlab.com) and The Flanders NanoBio Alliance
(www.flandersnanobio.org), supported by the Flemish State
Government's Department of Education and Training and the
Department of Economy, Science and Innovation (www.flanders.be)


