NanoSim is meant to be: A role-playing web-based simulation Participants are placed in groups representing the major decision stakeholders in nanoscience and nanotechnology These groups start with some basic capabilities and work their way through a technology tree Towards this purpose: research labs need to present technical proposals to government agencies to fund their ideas the government agencies need to develop regulatory policies for the multifunctional technologies under development the new ideas need to be patented and the non-governmental organizations need to study the risks