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An advanced technology company based on Ea (51 Pegasi).
Anderson Nano Tech (ANT) is an advanced technology company that specialises in nano-technology. The microscopic machines that they produce have various applications. ANT was founded mid way through Earth's colonisation period and originally produced nano-machines that could digest toxic waste. They later developed cryogenic nano-bugs that made long term cold-sleep much safer and opened up more distant stars as colonisation targets.
The company struck a deal with the Enlightened Self Interest Group that enabled them to fund the colony on Ea (51 Pegasi). As part of this deal, teams from ANT travelled along with the other members of ESIG and helped them set up their colonies. Many of these colonies later joined the Star Kingdom of Pegasus and ANT now has research and manufacturing facilities on most worlds in the Star Kingdom of Pegasus.
The majority of its nano-technology products are still aimed at breaking down hazardous chemicals however it also has manufacturing and medical divisions. ANTs manufacturing division build nano-machines to order for production lines. They have also been working on nano-robots that can repair electronic circuits. Their medical division is not as successful and ANT is no longer the leading company in this field.
ANT was founded by Peter Anderson mid way through Earth's colonisation period. Anderson was the son of wealthy parents had studied science in an attempt to prove that he was more than "just a rich kid". After graduating from university he had been employed by a technology company that was taken over and downsized. Over 3000 people in the non-profitable nano-technology division were laid off and the research labs sold off to property developers.
Anderson personally put together a rescue package that saved thousands of jobs. He worked together with staff to reduce costs and used all of the profits to build the business up and reemploy many of the workers that had lost their jobs. Anderson was so popular with his workers that in some of the research facilities workers actually voted to take a one percent short term pay cut in order to pay for extra workers to be employed.
ANTs first objective was to concentrate on building nano-machines to digest toxic waste. Technologically ANT was a success as it managed to demonstrate that the technology worked successfully. However Anderson had not taken into account the reaction of the public. A number of pressure groups decided to oppose the activities of the company on both "religious" and "safety" grounds. Demonstrations were made outside ANT facilities and the pressure groups also used the courts to slow up the operations of the company for as long as possible. Many countries even gave into the pressure groups and passed laws that were so restrictive that ANT could not operate there.
After six years of expansion ANT was in big trouble. In -60 AI (2156 AD) an emergency general meeting was called. ANT was facing bankruptcy. Peter Anderson was on the back foot and some of the board members were ready to give up. The only way to save the company was to cease operations in countries where local laws were holding back the company. As the protestors were giving ANT problems all across the world this meant that only the off world labs (where ANTs work was valued) would be able to stay open. Anderson was forced to do to his employees exactly what had been done to him six years previously. ANT was cut back to the bone.
However, in space things were totally different for Anderson Nano Tech. Bases on The Moon and Mars had both embraced Anderson's waste disposal nano-bugs, which had lowered their recycling costs by 50 percent and made them more self sufficient. Anderson used the profits from the bugs to hire as many researchers as possible.
In -56 AI (2160 AD) ANT developed cryogenic nano-bugs that made long term cryogenic freezing much safer. It even opened up more distant stars as colonisation targets. In response to this a group of colonising organisations attempted a hostile takeover to get access to the new technology. Peter Anderson fought off the attempt but the very next day made an offer that most colonisers rushed to accept. Colonists would get access to cryo-bug technology in return for donating free places to the ANT employees laid off in -60 AI (2156 AD).
Reaction to this offer was mixed, with some people viewing it as blackmail and others viewing it as a more than fair offer. Most ships took the bare minimum of employees, some even deliberately picked non-technical personnel like janitors and security guards in a personal snub on Peter Anderson, not realising that he was just as keen for these people to get the chance of a new life among the stars.
In -54 AI (2162 AD) Peter Anderson was approached by a several businessmen calling themselves the Enlightened Self Interest Group. They proposed a mutual sharing of colonisation technology between all of the companies in order to make all of their more success. Each member of the group would share all of its technology with the others and send specialists on all the ships of the other groups. Peter Anderson was delighted to be invited, but politely declined as he didn't have enough money to fund his own starship. He told them he would pass on his recommendation to his workers and would do all he could to assist.
However, the group decided that they needed the charismatic Anderson so much that they offered Anderson a deal. They would build him a colonisation ship for free. In return he would set up a division of ANT for every ship in the group and take a place on one of the ships belonging to another member of the group.
So many of the members of the Enlightened Self Interest Group wanted Peter Anderson on their own ship that they actually held an auction. William Cavendish, the richest member of ESIG, outbid all the others in order to get Anderson to come to his colony on Iota Pegasi (Pegasus). The money raised by the auction was given to ANT as a good will gesture.
Anderson Nano Tech completed their starship, the SS Hormiga, in -46 AI (2170 AD) and left for 51 Pegasi. They arrived in 154 AI (2370 AD) and set up a colony that they called Ea. Just four years later, Peter Anderson arrived at Ea in a wormdrive starship. He invited Ea to join a new organisation called the Star Kingdom of Pegasus. Anderson spent the next few years travelling around nearby colonies settled by the members of the Enlightened Self Interest Group, inviting their governments to join the Star Kingdom and getting many of the ANT offshoots to agree to rejoin the main company back on Ea. The offshoots that did not rejoin the original company changed their company names as a mark of respect.
Peter Anderson finally returned to Ea in 162 AI (2378 AD) and got back to his research. A campaign started for him to be crowned Duke of Ea, but he declined the offer. Another three campaigns were started over the course of Peter Anderson's life, each more popular than the last. Each time the offer was made, Anderson politely refused the requests to become Duke.
Anderson Nano Tech started its micro manufacturing division in 172 AI (2388 AD). It took 25 years for its nano-builders to be profitable. They build nano-machines to order for production lines. They have also been working on nano-robots that can repair electronic circuits.
Peter Anderson died in 215 AI (2431 AD), was posthumously crowned as the first Duke of Ea and given a state funeral. Anderson Nano Tech's logo (an ant-like computer chip) was changed and now wears a small crown in his honour.
The majority ANT's nano-technology products are still aimed at breaking down hazardous chemicals and this is the most profitable division of the company. It continues to invest heavily in research and development.
ANTs medical division has been working to improve on their cryo-bugs. In 245 AI (2461 AD) they started development work on triage nano-bugs that could help keep patients alive during surgery. They had several setbacks while working on these nano-bugs. They did manage to develop bugs that could improve the chances of surviving strokes and heart attacks, but their attempts at general purpose nano-bugs have so far been unsuccessful. Since 253 AI (2469 AD) they have also been attempting to produce bugs that can rebuild lost limbs using tissue from the patient grown in cultures. However they have had over fifty years of failures as they have been unable get their assemblers to knit the right sort of tissue in the right place. They are no longer the leading medical nano-technology company.