Nanoscience and nanotechnology (nanoST) has the potential to cause social changes on the scale of the first industrial revolution. A special feature of nanotechnology is its generic character; it can affect practically all areas of society, and is described in many contexts as "the next industrial revolution".

The goal of investment in nanoscience, nanotechnology, new materials and integration (NANOMAT "phase 2") is to strengthen basic expertise so as to lay the foundations for a new, knowledge-based and research-intensive industry and to undertake a sustainable renewal of established Norwegian industry.

Vision
Norway shall be a leading research nation in selected fields of nanoscience, nanotechnology and new materials. NANOMAT shall lay the foundations for a new, knowledge-based and research-intensive industrial sector and facilitate a sustainable renewal of established Norwegian industry.

Objectives
Expertise development:

• Long-term research and technology development
• Research and technology development with great potential for expertise and industrial growth
  o often characterised by a high risk of failure

Stimulation and contribution to industrial innovation and growth in:

• Present-day industry
• New companies

The big industrial countries regard the mastery of nanotechnology as decisive to their economic and technological competitiveness in the 21st century . In NANOMAT, the selected areas in nanoST and new materials are the same as the prioritisations in the Norwegian "National Strategy for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology" . The strategy follows up the guidelines from the Research Report, the Soria Moria Declaration , the Foresight Study of materials  and applies to the whole of NANOMAT's field of operation:

Thematic investment areas (in order of priority, with unprioritised sub-areas): 

1. Energy and the environment
   o gas conversion, CO2 capture, petroleum production, solar panels, hydrogen technology, batteries and energy harvesters, energy efficiency, biofuels
2. ICT inclusive microsystems:
   o Nanomaterials and nanocomponents for electronics, data storage, optics, sensors, actuators and radio frequency components; integration of nanomaterials into sensors and actuators; nanostructuring; nanofluidics
3. Health and biotechnology:
   o Biocompatible materials, sensors and diagnostics, medication
4. Ocean and food
   o Tracing of food, smart packaging, food monitoring, surface treatment to prevent algal and bacterial growth

The prioritisation of thematic areas with appurtenant sub-areas is based on national advantages in resources, industry or expertise. 
 
Expertise areas (alphabetic order):

• Bio-nanoscience and bio-nanotechnology
• Ethical, legal and societal aspects including health, environment, safety, risks
• Fundamental physical and chemical phenomena and processes at the nanometre scale
• Interface and surface science and catalysis
• Components, systems and complex processes exploiting nanoST
• New, functional and nanostructured materials

Tool platforms:

• Relevant, competitive and available tools for nanoVT and new materials related to the  thematic areas and the expertise fields, concentrated on: 
  o Synthesis, manipulation and fabrication
  o Characterisation
  o Theory and modelling.

Expertise areas and tool platforms must be developed in order to address the investment in the prioritised thematic areas.

NANOMAT will stimulate international research collaboration between Norwegian and foreign R&D institutions and companies.