For the MEMS/MST community, 1999 was a watershed year. During that year, major capital investors validated MEMS/MST technologies as proven and viable technologies for the commercial market. The foundation for MEMS/MST technologies is now solid, and a large commercial infrastructure has arisen. On the immediate horizon are multiple market opportunities with "killer" applications and extremely high volumes, like telecommunications (RF and optical), biomedical, and environmental monitoring.
Furthermore, "the proof is in the puddding." Major multinational companies that haven't already puchased a stake in innovative and small MEMS/MST companies are in the process of grabbing a piece. In addition, a flurry of IPOs have taken place in the bioMEMS arena. Investment capital is certainly out there, hungrily eyeing all of these new opportunities.
Since just last year, venture-capital investment and wealth creation for MEMS/MST technologies has grown by leaps and bounds. For those companies looking to partake in this hot action, it's no longer necessary to invest millions of dollars. The infrastructure and know-how are available. All it takes is a tap into this reservoir of opportunity to form the right business relationships.