The 7th International Conference on Nanomaterials by Severe Plastic Deformation (NanoSPD7) is hosted by the University of Sydney (Australia) following a series of earlier conferences: in Moscow (1999), Vienna (2002), Fukuoka (2005), Goslar (2008), Nanjing (2011) and Metz (2014). This introductory paper reports on several major developments in NanoSPD activities as well as on recent NanoSPD citation data which illustrate the growth and expansion of this important research area for the time period following the conference in Metz. Close attention is given to topics of nanostructuring of metals by SPD processing for advanced properties and on new trends in developing SPD techniques for practical applications. A special concern of the committee is the appropriate terminology that is used in this new field of science and engineering as well as the innovation potential of recent applied studies and developments.