Technological Innovation and Competitiveness at the NSF Franklin Carrero-Martínez, Ph.D. International Science and Engineering National Science Foundation

To develop and nurture a national innovation ecosystem by helping discoveries from fundamental research to become new technologies that benefit society. Components of the National Innovation Network: I-Corps Teams: offer the technical, entrepreneurial, and business know-how to launch technological innovations; I-Corps Nodes: provide the education and infrastructure to serve the teams and regional innovation; I-Corps Sites: spur small groups to explore technology transition with local guidance and resources. NSF works with the private sector to bring additional resources to the table (in the form of partnerships and finance), when warranted I-Corps feed the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Bridging the “Valley of Death” Innovations Technology Development Business Development Seed Funding Revenue growth Funding Criteria: High-risk, high-payback innovations with high commercialization potential NSF SBIR

Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) Contribute to the national research infrastructure base by developing long-term partnerships among industry, academe and government Accelerate technology transfer from the lab to industry Leverage NSF funds with industry to support graduate students performing industrially relevant research NSF encourages international collaborations that advance these goals within the global context By the Numbers: –Currently supports 75 centers –250+ universities/colleges –1000+ unique industrial and government memberships

Muchas Gracias! Franklin Carrero-Martínez, Ph.D.