TIP awards accelerate key technologies and benefit communities across the Nation

Our work within the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP), continues to nurture partnerships and develop programs that drive and accelerate diverse innovation ecosystems, technology translation and development, and workforce development. In September and October, TIP announced inaugural awards across each of these three pillars of our work.

In workforce development, TIP made the first Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) awards to 27 teams at institutions of higher education and non-profits. Nine teams in the Pivots track (providing current professionals in any field with experiential learning opportunities to build the skills and competencies needed to pivot into careers in key technologies) and 18 teams in the Beginnings track (providing individuals with some experience in STEM fields with additional experiential learning opportunities to deepen their knowledge and skills in key technologies) will receive support to expand practical learning opportunities at their organizations and help grow a national workforce trained in the key technology focus areas specified in the bipartisan “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022”. To design future funding opportunities like ExLENT well positioned with workforce needs, TIP also gathered information from the community. And to evaluate our activities, TIP launched a pilot designed to develop new approaches to assess the impact of TIP investments on regional firms and jobs in key technology areas. The Industries of Ideas pilot will initially focus on artificial intelligence and electric vehicles in Ohio to demonstrate the feasibility and value of the approach.

To accelerate technology development, TIP awarded 19 Phase II projects through the Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems (POSE) program, further cultivating the creation of new open-source ecosystems anticipated to lead to cutting-edge innovation. Five teams advanced to Phase 2 of NSF Convergence Accelerator’s Track G, continuing their work to develop advanced technology and communications solutions to operate securely through 5G networks. In addition, NSF and five other U.S. government agencies collaborated to invest in 18 projects through the Prototype Open Knowledge Network (Proto-OKN) program. Teams will create knowledge graphs, connections, and educational materials for a trustworthy open knowledge network. Finally, through the NSF-wide Future of Semiconductors (FuSe) program, NSF funded 24 research and education projects aimed at enabling rapid progress in new semiconductor technologies and manufacturing and workforce development. TIP was instrumental in establishing partnerships with the private sector, notably with Ericsson, IBM, Intel, and Samsung, to make FuSe a possibility.

Fostering regional innovation ecosystems means supporting institutions with limited research capabilities as they work toward building more inclusive ecosystems in their regions. TIP was pleased to announce the first set of nearly 50 Expanding Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity (EPIIC) awards to emerging research institutions. These teams will receive training and support for three years to grow their capacities to build partnerships, secure funding, and participate in regional innovation ecosystems. In addition, the NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program announced a collaboration with The Engine Accelerator to establish the Builder Platform, a post-award support model that will aim to ensure the success of NSF Engines.

As we deliver on our mission, we are also looking to pilot new approaches. For example, we entered into an agreement with the Institute for Progress to test new funding mechanisms for research and innovation. And we announced support this fall for the Council of Graduate Schools to undertake efforts to broaden participation in the nation’s technology workforce. TIP’s investment will expand data collection activities and help recruit graduate students to open opportunities in key technologies. Check out our new pilot page to see all TIP pilot efforts in one place.

It has been a very busy fall – but it’s not over! Be on the lookout later this year for more announcements from TIP, including news about the inaugural cohorts for our Accelerating Research Translation (ART) and NSF Engines programs, as well as new funding opportunities for researchers and practitioners to work together to accelerate key technologies, address societal, geostrategic and national challenges and power U.S. competitiveness.

With gratitude and optimism,

Erwin Gianchandani
NSF Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships

Gracie Narcho
NSF Deputy Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships 

TIP Program and Partnership Updates

Grow diverse innovation ecosystems

NSF invests $19.6M in emerging research institutions to grow their capacity to participate in regional innovation ecosystems

NSF announced the first-ever Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity (EPIIC) investment of $19.6 million to nearly 50 teams at U.S. institutions of higher education, including teams from historically Black colleges and universities, minority-serving institutions and community colleges. Each awardee will receive up to $400,000 over three years and receive support to develop capacity and institutional knowledge to help them build new partnerships, secure future external funding and tap into their regional innovation ecosystems — potentially into an NSF Regional Innovation Engine. NSF also recently released the next funding opportunity for EPIIC.

NSF announces award for its Builder Platform

NSF announced a three-year, $9.5 million investment in The Engine Accelerator, a public benefit corporation with origins at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Engine Accelerator will develop, launch and run the NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) Builder Platform, a unique post-award support model that will provide tailored resources and a high level of personalized engagement and support that will significantly contribute to the success of the NSF Engines program.

NSF launches pilot program to identify barriers and tools for historically underrepresented communities in the innovation ecosystem

NSF recently announced a new $2 million pilot run by the Public Policy Lab to support the increased involvement and success of entrepreneurs from historically underrepresented groups. During the project, up to 40 teams of startup innovators from groups underrepresented in innovation will engage in identifying barriers facing them when attempting to pursue non-dilutive funding to examine the technical and commercial feasibility of their innovations for public good.

Accelerate technology development and translation

NSF invests over $26 million in open-source projects

On October 25, NSF announced an investment of over $26 million in 19 Phase II projects through the Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems (POSE) program, further cultivating the creation of new open-source ecosystems (OSEs) anticipated to lead to cutting-edge innovation. These open-source projects come from academia, nonprofits and for-profits and include advances in key technologies. Phase II awards provide up to $1.5 million per project over two years to support the transition of promising open-source products into secure, sustainable and impactful OSEs.

NSF invests $26.7 million in building the first-ever prototype open knowledge network

In collaboration with five other U.S. government agencies, NSF has invested $26.7 million in 18 projects through its Building the Prototype Open Knowledge Network (Proto-OKN) program. The multidisciplinary, cross-sector teams will create knowledge graphs, connections and educational materials for a trustworthy open knowledge network. An open knowledge network is a publicly accessible, interconnected set of data repositories and associated knowledge graphs that will enable data-driven, artificial intelligence-based solutions for a broad set of societal and economic challenges.

NSF invests $25M to advance technologies and communications to operate securely through 5G networks

On September 21, NSF announced a $25 million investment in 5 convergent teams from Phase 1 to Phase 2 of NSF Convergence Accelerator Track G: Securely Operating Through 5G Infrastructure. Through this investment, NSF is tackling 5G communication infrastructure and operational challenges. The goal of the Convergence Accelerator Track G is to enable enhancements to end devices — such as smartphones and tablets — and augmentations to 5G wireless infrastructure, providing capabilities to military, government and critical infrastructure operators to operate through public 5G networks while meeting security and resilience requirements.

NSF and partners invest $45 million in the future of semiconductors

On September 14, NSF announced 24 new research and education awards that will help engage diverse talent in innovative semiconductor design and manufacturing. The projects are supported by the NSF Future of Semiconductors (FuSe) program through a public-private partnership spanning NSF and four companies: Ericsson, IBM, Intel and Samsung. NSF funding for these research and education projects totals $45.6 million, including funding from the "CHIPS and Science Act of 2022," and will enable rapid progress in new semiconductor technologies and manufacturing and workforce development.

NSF recently launched a $4.5 million pilot designed to help maximize the chances of success for startups by making available novel curriculum and support methodologies, including techno-economics training and methods to evaluate financials. The pilot is led by NextCorps, a startup accelerator based in Rochester, New York. Lessons learned from the pilot will inform further research and scaling of this approach.

New report identifies pathways to strengthen U.S. competitiveness in key technology focus areas

The National Network for Critical Technology Assessment, a network of universities funded by NSF, recently completed a yearlong, nearly $4 million pilot effort with the release of a report – Securing America’s Future: A Framework for Critical Technology Assessment. The report outlines how to enable timely situational awareness of global technology and production capabilities, rigorous methods to quantify the potential value of innovations and tools for quantifying opportunities across national objectives. The findings of this initial work set the foundations for the Assessing and Predicting Technology Outcomes program launched this summer.

Enable workforce development

NSF announced the first Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) investment of $18.8 million to 27 teams at U.S. institutions of higher education and non-profits, including teams led by historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions. ExLENT offers pathways for people with varying STEM experience levels. Of the 27 teams receiving ExLENT awards this round, 18 teams received awards in the Beginnings track and nine teams received an award in the Pivots track. ExLENT teams will build partnerships between organizations in key technologies and those with expertise in workforce development.

From May to June 2023, NSF requested input on ways to make educational pathways into careers in key technologies accessible to any American interested in participating in the U.S. research and innovation enterprise through the Future Topics for Workforce Development in Emerging Technology Career Pathways Request for Information (RFI). NSF received more than 170 responses to this RFI, comprising contributions from a variety of organizations and posted the responses online.

New NSF effort expands I-Corps™ Teams training program

NSF recently announced a $5 million new entrepreneurial training and mentoring program for academic researchers. This training will arm early-stage entrepreneurs with the information and confidence they need to launch a startup. The pilot is a comprehensive approach to entrepreneurial training that specifically builds upon and extends the long-running NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps), an entrepreneurial training program that helps researchers learn more about the market potential of their research.

NSF announced a new three-year, $4.5 million pilot designed to develop novel approaches to assess the impact of investments made by the TIP directorate on regional firms and jobs in key technology areas. The pilot will initially focus on artificial intelligence and electric vehicles in Ohio to demonstrate the feasibility and value of the approach. The project, Industries of Ideas: A prototype system for measuring the effects of TIP investments on firms and jobs, will develop people-centric methods for following the movement of ideas from federally funded research to the marketplace by identifying businesses that employ people trained in deep technology skills through these investments along with early workforce indicators.

Cross-cutting efforts

NSF and the Institute for Progress (IFP), with its Metascience Working Group, announced an agreement to design and execute experiments to explore how the agency funds and supports research and innovation. The "CHIPS and Science Act of 2022" charged NSF with considering alternatives to, or experimentation within, NSF's traditional processes for receiving, reviewing and funding research and innovation. Under this agreement, IFP will design and implement one or more economic and social experiments, statistical tests of a hypothesis.

NIST Issues a Request for Information on National Standards Strategy

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently issued a Request for Information (RFI) on the National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology (NSSCET). NSSCET is intended to support and complement existing private sector-led activities and plans with a focus on critical and emerging technologies and reinforces the U.S. Government’s support of a private sector-led, open consensus-based international standards system.

Recent Events

TIP leaders continued throughout the summer and fall to build partnerships and share about NSF programs. TIP staff spoke at the Semiconductor Industry Association Workforce Development Conference and the National Society of Black Engineers Professional Development Conference, presented to the National Governors Association and participated in a variety national and international discussions about innovation, technology leadership and the advancement of key technologies. NSF staff participated in the National Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Week in September. In October, NSF sponsored the 2023 American Indian Science and Engineering Society’s National Conference and the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science annual conference. In addition, TIP staff also shared about the NSF Engines programs at a showcase in Washington, D.C., hosted by the White House in November. Program directors also hosted webinars and office hours to introduce new funding opportunities, share about new TIP endeavors and answer questions about TIP programs.

To request an NSF speaker at your events, please use the NSF Speaker’s Bureau request form.

Upcoming TIP events

Webinar: NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Teams Q&A
November 16, 2023, 12–1 p.m. ET
Register for the I-Corps Teams webinar on Zoom.

Office Hours: Preparing your Phase I Proposal for America’s Seed Fund at NSF
November 16, 2023, 2–3 p.m. ET
Register for the Preparing Your Proposal office hour on Zoom.

Office Hours: Intro to America’s Seed Fund at NSF
November 28, 2023, 2–3 p.m. ET
Register for the Intro to America's Seed Fund office hour on Zoom.

Webinar: Introduction to Partnerships for Innovation (PFI)
December 7, 2023, 1–2:30 p.m. ET 
Register for the PFI webinar on Zoom.

Office Hours: Preparing your Phase I Proposal for America’s Seed Fund at NSF
December 7, 2023, 2–3 p.m. ET
Register for the Preparing Your Proposal office hour on Zoom.

POSE Distinguished Lecture Series with Dr. Laurie Williams
December 8, 2023, 1–2 p.m. ET
Join the webinar on December 8 on Zoom.

Office Hours: Intro to America’s Seed Fund at NSF
December 12, 2023, 2–3 p.m. ET
Register for the Intro to America's Seed Fund office hour on Zoom.

SBA Hosts SBIR/STTR Innovation Conference

On November 28 and 29, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will host the Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Fall Innovation Conference for potential applicants, awardees and supporters to meet with and learn from SBIR/STTR agency representatives. NSF is one of several participating federal agencies. 

Want to make an impact?

As we look to grow TIP, we seek leaders with expertise in industry, government, investment and strategic partnerships. Check back soon to learn about a few of our open positions.

ABOUT THE TIP DIRECTORATE 

The Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, or TIP, harnesses the nation's vast and diverse talent pool to advance critical and emerging technologies, address pressing societal and economic challenges, and accelerate the translation of research results from lab to market and society. TIP comprises three primary focus areas – fostering innovation and technology ecosystems, establishing translation pathways, and partnering across sectors to engage the nation's diverse talent to improve U.S. competitiveness, grow the U.S. economy and train a diverse workforce for future, high-wage jobs.

For more information about TIP, visit new.nsf.gov/tip/latest.