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                                                                    Exhibit 10.1


                              EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT

THIS AGREEMENT made as of the 23 day of March 2000.  Between NANOWORLD PROJECTS
CORPORATION, a corporation incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware,
and having its principal place of business at 1175 North Creek, Parkway South,
Suite 10, in the City of Bothell, State of Washington ("Employer") and Gilles
Picard, of ________________________ ("Employee");

     WHEREAS the Employer desires to obtain the benefit of the services of the
Employee, and the Employee desires to render such services on the terms and
conditions set forth.

     IN CONSIDERATION of the promises and other good and valuable consideration
set forth, the parties agree as follows:

1.   EMPLOYMENT

1.1  Commencing April 1st, 2000, the Employer hereby agrees to employ the
     Employee, subject to the terms of this agreement, in the capacity of Chair
     of the Scientific Advisory Board, and Vice-President (Research and
     Development) responsible to the Employer for the supervision and direction
     of research and development, the exploitation and improvement of
     intellectual property owned by the Employer or its subsidiaries, or co-
     venturers, and the acquisition of new intellectual property for the
     Employer.  The Employee's duties may be reasonably modified at the
     Company's discretion from time to time.  In fulfillment of these
     responsibilities, the Employee shall perform such duties and exercise such
     specific responsibilities as are assigned from time to time by the Board of
     Directors or Officers of the Employer.  In carrying out these duties and
     responsibilities, the Employee shall comply with all written policies,
     procedures, rules and regulations, as are announced by the Employer from
     time to time and carry out said duties in and responsibilities in a
     diligent, faithful and honest manner.

1.2  The Employee will devote full time, attention, and energies to the business
     of the Company, and, during this employment, will not engage in any other
     business activity, regardless of whether such activity is pursued for
     profit, gain, or other pecuniary advantage, save and except with the
     written permission of the Employer.  Employee is not prohibited from making
     personal investments in any other businesses provided those investments do
     not require active involvement in the operation of said companies.

1.3  The parties agree that there are no statements or representations, oral or
     otherwise, express or implied, with respect to the employment opportunity
     offered to the Employee, which form part of this agreement, other than
     those which are set forth expressly in this agreement.  This agreement
     supersedes any prior representations, statements or agreements with respect
     to the subject matter hereof and the employment opportunity offered to the
     Employee.  The parties agree that any such prior representations,
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     statements or agreements, if made, were not material to the execution of
     this agreement, or to the decisions of either party to enter into this
     agreement.

2.   Compensation

2.1  As full compensation for all services provided herein, the Employer shall
     pay or cause to be paid, to the Employee, and the Employee shall accept a
     salary, at an annual rate of $65,000.00 (U.S.D.) commencing April 1st, 2000
     to be paid in regular installments in accordance with the Employer's usual
     paying practices, but not less frequently than monthly.

2.2  Such payments shall be subject to such deductions by the Employer as the
     Employer is from time to time required to make pursuant to law, government
     regulation or order or by agreement with, or consent of, the Employee.

2.3  The Employer is in the process of arranging an employee and consultant
     incentive program, which shall include provisions respecting the granting
     of options to acquire common stock of the Employer from the Employer
     ("Incentive Program").  The Employee shall have the right to participate in
     the Incentive Program, once initiated on reasonable terms as the parties
     may agree.  For greater clarity, the parties agree that the Employee shall
     not be denied participation in the incentive plan once initiated by the
     Employer.  The Employer understands that participation by the Employee in
     the Incentive Program is a material inducement to the Employee to enter
     this agreement.

3.   Expenses

3.1  It is understood and agreed that the Employee will incur expenses in
     connection with his duties under this agreement.  Therefore, the Employer
     agrees to reimburse the Employee for all reasonable expenses provided the
     Employee provides to the Employer an itemized written account and receipts
     acceptable to the Employer within thirty days after they have been
     incurred.  The Employee will not be reimbursed for any item in excess of
     $1,000.00 U.S. dollars unless approved in advance by the Employer.

4.   Vacation

4.1  The Employee shall be entitled to vacations in the amount of 3 weeks per
     annum, and in addition to the period of December 23rd to January 5th, June
     24th, and such other statutory holidays as are provided for by law.

5.   Assignment of Intellectual Property Created by the Employee

5.1  The Employer and Employee agree that in consideration of the transaction
     giving rise to this agreement and the Employment provided hereunder, the
     Employee hereby assigns to the Employer all interest in any intellectual
     property created by the Employee, including additions, alterations,
     improvements and modifications to existing or acquired property of the
     Employer ("Created Property").
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5.2  The parties agree that the Employee shall be entitled to no compensation in
     addition to the consideration herein provided for the creation of Created
     Property relating to the business of the Employer, including nano-
     technology, nano-particles, and assembly of nano-particles (the "Core
     Technology")

5.3  The Employer shall be able to waive its assignment of any Created Property
     in which case the Employee shall be free to exploit such Created Property
     at his sole discretion.

5.4  The parties shall negotiate a separate agreement providing for reasonable
     compensation for Created Property other than Core Technology that the
     Employer may elect to exploit, which shall provide that the Employee shall
     receive not less than 3% of any net profits accruing to the Employer from
     the exploitation of such property, unless the parties otherwise agree.

6.   Confidential Materials and Information

6.1  The Employee acknowledges that in the course of employment with the
     Employer, the Employee will acquire and be exposed to information about
     certain matters which are confidential to the Employer and not known to the
     public, or the scientific community, or to competitors (the "Confidential
     and Proprietary Materials and Information"), and which Confidential and
     Proprietary Materials and Information are the exclusive property of the
     Employer, and includes:

     (a)  confidential methods of operation, which includes all information
          relating to the Employer's intellectual property owned by subsidiaries
          of the Employer, unique marketing programs, unique products, unique
          methods, unique service systems, unique security information and
          systems, and trade secrets;

     (b)  all information regarding the Employer's existing customers and
          client, including customer lists, contracts, prices, invoices,
          computer printouts, and other similar information;

     (c)  all information concerning the Employer's potential customers and
          clients, including mailing lists, prospect cards, and other similar
          information; any information about the business of the Employer that
          is not known to the public or competitors, or any other information
          which gives the Employer an opportunity to obtain an advantage over
          competitors who do not know of such information;

     (d)  financial information, including the Employer's costs, sales, income,
          profits and other similar information; business opportunities,
          including all ventures considered by the Employer, whether or not such
          ventures are pursued;

     (e)  personnel information, including the names of employees and applicable
          remuneration and benefit policies, and computer programs and
          procedures
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          relating to the Employer's business, including related data input
          procedures or techniques, and similar information;

     (f)  intellectual property assigned to the Employer pursuant to paragraph
          5.1 herein.

6.2  The Employee acknowledges that the Confidential and Proprietary Materials
     and Information referred to herein could be used to the detriment of the
     Employer.  Accordingly, throughout the time of the Employee's employment
     with the Employer, the Employee undertakes not to disclose to any third
     party and to treat in strict confidence all Confidential and Proprietary
     Materials and Information, except where disclosure is made with the prior
     written permission of an Officer of the Employer, or required by law.
     Further, after the termination of the Employee's employment with the
     Employer, regardless of how that termination should occur, the Employee
     undertakes, without time limitation, not to disclose to any third party and
     to treat in strict confidence all Confidential and Proprietary Materials
     and Information, except where disclosure is made with the prior written
     permission of the President of the Employer, or required by law.  For
     greater clarity, the parties agree that the Employee is under no
     restriction with respect to information relating to the Employer or its
     business affairs that are generally known to the public, or scientific
     community.  The Employer undertakes to provide a list of persons to whom
     the Employee is authorized to disclose Confidential and Proprietary
     Materials and Information, and to update or alter that list from time to
     time.  Any list provided pursuant to this undertaking shall constitute
     written permission if signed by the President of the Employer.

6.3  The Employee understands and agrees that the restrictions and covenants
     contained in paragraph 6.2 constitute a material inducement to the Employer
     to enter into this agreement and to employ the Employee, and that the
     Employer would not enter into this agreement absent such inducement.  The
     Employee agrees that such restrictions and covenants shall be construed
     independent of any other provision of this agreement, and the existence of
     any claim or cause of action by the Employee against the Employer, whether
     predicated under this agreement or otherwise, shall not constitute a
     defense to the enforcement by the Employer of the said restrictions and
     covenants.

6.4  The Employee acknowledges that all items of any and every nature or kind
     created by the Employee pursuant to the Employee's employment under this
     agreement, or used by the Employee pursuant to the Employee's employment
     under this agreement, or furnished by the Employer to the Employee, and all
     equipment, automobiles, credit cards, books, records, reports, files,
     manuals, literature, and Confidential Materials and Information shall
     remain and be considered the exclusive property of the Employer at all
     times and shall be surrendered to the Employer, in good condition, on
     demand, and in any event, promptly on the termination of the Employee's
     employment irrespective of the time, manner or cause of the termination.

6.5  The Employee acknowledges, agrees, and understands that, without prejudice
     to any and all remedies available to the Employer, an injunction is the
     only effective remedy for any breach of the Employee's covenants under
     paragraph 6.2, and that the Employer would
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     suffer irreparable harm and injury in the event of any such breach.
     Accordingly, the Employee hereby agrees that the Employer may apply for and
     have injunctive relief, including an interim or interlocutory injunction,
     in any court of competent jurisdiction, to enforce paragraph 6.2 upon the
     breach or threatened breach thereof. The Employee further agrees that the
     Employer may apply for and is entitled to said injunctive relief without
     having to prove damages, and is entitled to all costs and expenses,
     including reasonable legal costs.

7.   Non-Competition

7.1  The Employer and Employee agree that in consideration of the transaction
     giving rise to this agreement and the Employment provided hereunder, the
     Employee shall not, during the term of this agreement, or 5 years from the
     date on which the Employee ceases to be employed by the Employer ("Post-
     Termination Non-Competition Period") alone or in partnership with any other
     person, firm or corporation, as principal, agent, shareholder or in any
     other manner, carry on or be engaged in or concerned with or interested in,
     directly or indirectly, or advise, be employed by, or permit his name or
     any part thereof to be used by any person, firm or corporation engaged in
     or interested in any enterprise which is competitive to the Employer's
     business, solicit or attempt to solicit the business of any customer of the
     Employer who has been a customer of the Employer at any time in the thirty-
     six months preceding the date of termination or expiry of this agreement,
     or request or influence any employee of the Employer to terminate his
     employment.  The Employee acknowledges and confirms that the scope of this
     covenant is in all respects no more than reasonable to protect the
     Employer.

7.2  The Employee acknowledges, agrees, and understands that, without prejudice
     to any and all remedies available to the Employer, an injunction is the
     only effective remedy for any breach of the Employee's covenants under
     paragraph 6.1 and that the Employer would suffer irreparable harm and
     injury in the event of any such breach.  Accordingly, the Employee hereby
     agrees that the Employer may apply for and have injunctive relief,
     including an interim or interlocutory injunction, in any court of competent
     jurisdiction, to enforce any of the provisions of paragraph 6.1 upon the
     breach or threatened breach thereof.  The Employee further agrees that the
     Employer may apply for and is entitled to said injunctive relief without
     having to prove damages, and is entitled to all costs and expenses,
     including reasonable legal costs.

7.3  The Employee understands and agrees that the restrictions and covenants
     contained in paragraph 6.1 constitute a material inducement to the Employer
     to enter into this agreement and to employ the Employee, and that the
     Employer would not enter into this agreement absent such inducement.  The
     Employee agrees that the restrictions and covenants contained in this
     paragraph shall be construed independent of any other provisions of this
     agreement, and the existence of any claim or cause of action by the
     Employee against the Employer, whether predicated under this agreement or
     otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by the
     Employer of said restrictions and covenants contained in this paragraph.
     Further, any clause or provisions of this paragraph that may be found
     unenforceable shall be considered to be severable from the
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     rest of this paragraph, which remaining portions shall continue in full
     force and effect in accordance with the terms of this paragraph and
     agreement.

7.4  On the cessation of his employment with the Employer, otherwise than by
     reason of the liquidation of the Employer, or by reason of dismissal from
     the Employer for misconduct or serious breach of contractual obligations,
     the Employer agrees that should the Employee in good faith be offered a
     position, acceptance of which would cause him to be in breach of the
     obligations contained in paragraph 6.1, the Employer will pay to him the
     lesser of his base salary until the end of the Post-Termination Non-
     Competition Period or the amount of the financial loss that would be
     suffered by the Employee by declining the offer, provided that the Employee
     has made written application to the company within 7 days of the offer to
     be released from the provisions of paragraph 6.1, and the Employer has
     refused to release him.

8.   Termination

8.1  This agreement may be terminated in the following manner:

     (a)  By the Employee on the giving of 12 weeks' notice to the Employer.
          The Employer may waive the notice, in whole or in part.

     (b)  By the Employer on the giving of one months' notice to the Employee
          for each year of service pursuant to this agreement, or payment in
          lieu thereof ("Notice Period"), in which case the Employee shall be
          free to seek other employment.  Should the Employee obtain other
          employment prior to the end of the Notice Period, the Employer's
          obligations shall cease as at the date other employment is obtained.

     (c)  By the Employer, at its option, for cause including: a material breach
          of the provisions of this agreement, and conviction of the Employee of
          a criminal offense punishable by indictment.

9.   Entire Agreement

9.1  The written provisions of this agreement shall constitute the full extent
     of the employment contract between the Employer and the Employee regardless
     of any oral agreements or understandings that may presently or hereafter
     exist between the Employer and the Employee.  No waiver or modification of
     any provision of this agreement shall be valid unless in writing and duly
     executed by both the Employer and the Employee.

10.  Waiver and Modification

10.1 No amendments to this agreement shall be valid or binding unless set forth
     in writing and duly executed by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of
     any breach of any term or provision of this agreement shall be effective or
     binding unless made in writing and
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     signed by the party purporting to give the same and, unless otherwise
     provided in the written waiver, shall be limited to the specific breach
     waived.

10.2 The parties agree that in the event that any provision, clause or article
     herein, or part thereof, shall be deemed void, involved, or unenforceable
     by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions, clauses or
     articles, or part thereof, shall be and remain in full force and effect.

11.  Assignment

11.1 This agreement is personal to the Employee and is not assignable by him and
     shall not enure to the benefit of his heirs, executors or personal
     representatives. The Employer shall be fully assignable by the Employer at
     its sole discretion.

12.  Independent Legal Advice

12.1 The Employee acknowledges that he has read and understands this agreement,
     and acknowledges that he has had the opportunity to obtain independent
     legal advice with respect to it.

13.  Choice of Law

13.  This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws
     of the Province of British Columbia.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Employer has caused this agreement to be executed by
its duly authorized officers and the Employee has hereunto set his hand as of
the date first above written.

     SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED in the presence of:


Giles Picard                  Nanoworld Projects Corporation


/s/ Gilles Picard             /s/ Alnoor Kassam
-----------------             -----------------
                              per: Alnoor Kassam
                              President    c/s

/s/ Fornero Battistino
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[Signature of witness]