Nanodistrict focuses on the dynamics of “new leading sciences and technologies”. It aims at exploring the emergence, the governance and growth of “science districts” i.e. geographic agglomeration of world-class standard actors. We analyse the conditions under which such districts emerge and crystallise.

Its originality is to integrate key variables such as the modes of governancethe nature of technologiesthe stage of the nanotechnology related industries life cycles. and

It focuses on three main sub-themes:

1. The economic development of the emerging field of nanotechnologies.

2. New tools for mapping the evolution of the Nano fields (sciences and technologies)

3. The emergence and governance of the nanocenters (engine of development, respective roles of firms, academic institutions and public authorities, etc.).