© Zevotron

Virginia's First Regional Industrial Facility this week set aside $20,000 towards the planned development of the Virginia Nanotechnology Park in Virginia's Pulaski County.

"[The] support gives a steering committee a green light to move forward with a preliminary marketing plan," writes The Roanoke Times' Jeff Sturgeon. "As envisioned, the proposed Virginia Nanotechnology Park would feature a 58,280-square-foot, multitenant building for lease to energy, environmental and medical companies using nanotechnology. In a takeoff on the words nanotechnology, energy, environment and medical operations, the project is being called NEEMO."

"The region has a foothold in nanotechnology from which leaders hope to climb to new economic heights," Sturgeon adds. "A study by Tech's Office of Economic Development found that Virginia led the Southeast in National Science Foundation grants for basic nanotechnology research from 2003 through 2007 with 187. Virginia Tech and nearby nanotech firms captured 61 of them valued at $15 million, more grants than in any other region of the state."

The full article is available here.