Over 400 local, national and international delegates are expected to converge on the Shaw Conference Centre in downtown Edmonton during the three and one-half day conference. Attendees can expect business-oriented plenary and breakout sessions, lively panel discussions and workshops, as well as many networking opportunities, all geared to helping the industry seize market opportunities and overcome the barriers to successful commercialization. NanoMEMS Edmonton, Greater Edmonton's smalltech industry organization, will co-host the event with MANCEF (Micro and Nanotechnology Commercialization Education Foundation).

"Our roster of top-tier keynote speakers from the highest levels of the industry ensures that COMS 2004 will provide attendees with the best opportunity this year to gain insight into market trends, and to connect with the world's global smalltech leaders representing all segments of the micro/nano value chain," says Chris Lumb, NanoMEMS Edmonton co-chair and President and CEO of Micralyne Inc. "Edmonton, and indeed Canada, is establishing a critical mass of small tech activity. Thus, it's a perfect time to bring COMS to Canada and share with the world our experience and knowledge, while at the same time tapping into new international networks and interacting with global leaders from the Nano and MEMS community. It's this kind of interaction that MANCEF has fostered with COMS all along, and we expect this conference to expand on that exemplary track record."

Keynotes:

COMS 2004 has arranged for a high-impact roster of presenters, including:
- Arthur J. Carty, PhD - National Science Advisor to the Prime Minister
of Canada
- Thomas A. Cellucci, PhD - President and COO, Zyvex Corporation
- Henk van Houten, PhD - Senior Vice-president, Philips Research
- Meyya Meyyappan, PhD - Director of the Center for Nanotechnology and
Senior Scientist, NASA Ames Research Centre
- Bruce Kirchhoff, PhD - Distinguished Professor, New Jersey Institute of
Technology (NJIT) School of Management; Rutgers University
- John Evans, PhD - Program Manager, Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency, Microsystems Technology Office
- Alexander W. Wong, PhD - Partner, Apex Partners

"This is the only conference in the world that addresses the commercialization of both micro and nanotechnology, and with the progress to date, COMS 2004 is poised to give attendees the absolute cutting-edge perspectives and information on commercializing these technologies, " says Roger Grace, MANCEF President and President of Roger Grace Associates (USA). "MANCEF is dedicated to the education of the micro and nano community worldwide and the COMS conferences have been our major vehicle for fulfilling this mandate."

Beyond its distinctive mission to tackle the significant aspects of micro and nanosystems - marketing, technology management, production and capital formation - COMS is a place where business partners meet and new ventures are explored. The Gordon Style program is designed to maximize personal interaction among attendees, with numerous breaks and social events planned.
The conference kicks off on the evening of Aug. 29 with a "Welcome Reception" at the historic Fairmont Hotel McDonald, which overlooks the beautiful North Saskatchewan River Valley in downtown Edmonton.

Program highlights
Aug. 30 - The State of the Industry: Views from Around the World
Aug. 31 - The Business of "Small:" Making a Difference
Sept. 1 - The State of the Science and Technology (and Art): Making it
Work
Sept. 2 - The Future: Challenges for Education and Training

Topics include: "Nanohype vs. Reality;" standards/packaging/reliability; convergence and integration; building successful MNT clusters; emerging bionano, automotive, energy and aerospace applications; and a focus on investment and capitalization, e.g., "Capitalizing Nano: learning from the MEMS experience." Other highlights include a Vendors Showcase and Reception on the afternoon of Aug. 30 and the annual Award Dinner on the evening of Aug. 31.

For attendees looking to unwind after the conference's information-packed sessions and exciting social and entertainments events, Edmonton is brimming with entertainment and recreation options. Greater Edmonton has: 70-plus golf courses; West Edmonton Mall, the world's largest shopping and entertainment centre; Fort Edmonton Park; Muttart Conservatory; Elk Island National Park; the Old Strathcona shopping district; North Saskatchewan River Valley; boasting a park area 22 times that of New York's central park; and a host of other sites, attractions and recreational opportunities. Edmonton is the capital of the province of Alberta, with a city-region population of one million people.
The conference will also shine an international spotlight on Greater Edmonton as the home to an emerging nano and microsystems cluster that includes the National Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Alberta, Economic Development Edmonton and over two dozen established and early-stage companies, such as Micralyne Inc. and Bigbangwidth Inc., involved in micro-and nano-based enterprises.

The extended deadline for submitting abstracts is May 21, 2004.

For more information about COMS 2004, visit www. mancef-coms2004.org.

COMS 2004 Partners: Economic Development Edmonton, MANCEF (Micro and Nanotechnology Commercialization Education Foundation), Micralyne Inc., NanoMEMS Edmonton and Western Economic Diversification Canada.

COMS 2004 Sponsors: Premier Platinum - University of Alberta. Premier Gold - National Research Council Canada (National Institute for Nanotechnology) and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology. Premier Silver - Alberta Research Council. Media Sponsors - enablingMNT, MICRONEWS, Small Times Media and NanoNordic.com.

About MANCEF (Micro and Nanotechnology Commercialization Education Foundation): globally enables the creation, exchange, and dissemination of knowledge vital to people, organizations, and governments interested in the commercialization of miniaturization technologies. The Foundation, registered in 2000 in Florida, USA, as a not-for-profit, currently encompasses approx 350 members representing companies and institutions from the Americas, Europe, Asia, Pacific Rim and Middle East. For more information about MANCEF, visit www.mancef.org.

About NanoMEMS Edmonton: A registered public-private partnership, NanoMEMS Edmonton is dedicated to fostering the development and growth of micro and nano-based commercial enterprise across the region. Lead partners include: Micralyne Inc., Bigbangwidth Inc., the University of Alberta, Economic Development Edmonton and NINT, the National Institute for Nanotechnology (National Research Council of Canada). Cluster participants include two dozen established and early-stage MNT/MEMS companies.

Source: Economic Development Edmonton
CONTACT: Media Contacts, North America - USA, Canada,
Jim Rudolph, Corporate Communications, Economic Development Edmonton, Phone:
(780) 917-7894, Fax: (780) 426-0535, Email: jrudolph@edmonton.com,
Europe - Asia-Pacific, Patric Salomon,

Phone: +49 30 2435 7870,

Fax:+49 721 1515 82528, Email: patric.salomon@4m2c.com