We have long held the view that nanotechnology is more about understanding nature than replicating macro scale concepts on the nanoscale and there is a growing trend in the scientific community that this is a trend to watch. Whether through companies such as Cambrios whose recent series B funding continues their work on manufacturing using biological systems, or the recent article concluding that even industries as old as catalysis have a lot to learn from nature.
Put simply, the tools developed in the last twenty five years are revealing ever more about the workings of natural systems. Nature has been ruthlessly perfecting these systems for three billion years. In many cases we still dont understand how they work, but in general they work very well.
One questions always raised at this point is that of where biotech meets nanotech. Venture Wire has Cambrios down as a biotech company. Trillions of bacteriophages may well agree.