1. Partnerships for Innovation Program Jesus Soriano, MD, PhD, MBA
Program Director, PFI
Div. Industrial Innovation & Partnerships
@NSFSBIR
@JesusVSoriano
Atlanta
June 4, 2018

2. Our Mandate to Foster Innovation
“To create more jobs we must make new and better and cheaper products. We want plenty of new, vigorous enterprises. But new products and processes are not born full- grown.
They are founded on new principles and new conceptions which in turn result from basic scientific research. Basic scientific research is scientific capital.”
V. Bush (1945). Science the Endless Frontier: Report to the President on a Program for Postwar Scientific Research. Wash., D.C.: U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

3. PFI Mandate from Congress
To support NSF-sponsored research and technologies with potential for accelerated commercialization.**
Requires critical use of limited funds
* NSF FY 2017 Budget Request to Congress
** American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2017 (Pub.L )
NSF
PFI
IIP
ENG

4. PFI PROGRAM GOALS*
* AICA 2017
Photo Credit: Graphene Frontiers, LLC

5. The PFI Program has 6 Goals
(1) Support NSF-sponsored research and technologies with potential for accelerated commercialization.
(2) Support prior or current NSF-sponsored researchers, institutions of higher education, and non-profit organizations that partner to undertake proof-of-concept work, and prototype development derived from NSF-funded research that has potential market value.
(3) Sustainable partnerships between NSF-funded institutions, industry, and other organizations within academia and the private sector to accelerate technology transfer.

6. The PFI Program has 6 Goals
(4) Develop multi-disciplinary innovation ecosystems which involve and are responsive to the needs of academia and industry.
(5) Catalyze professional development, mentoring, and best practices in entrepreneurship and technology translation for faculty, students and researchers.
(6) Expand the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in innovation, technology translation, and entrepreneurship.

7. Dimensions of a PFI Project
Target Key Early Stage Technological Challenges
Define Commercial Potential – Customer Discovery
Education and Training for Students & Researchers
Accelerating Innovation Through Partnerships
Broadening Participation

8. Technology Translation
Resources Invested
STC, MRSEC CCI
ERC
IUCRC
GOALI
PFI
Translational Research
I-Corps
Private funds
Valley of
Hope
STC: Science and Technology Centers
MRSEC: Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers
CCI: Centers for Chemical Innovation
ERC: Engineering Research Centers
GOALI: Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry
IUCRC: Industry University Cooperative Research Centers
I-Corps™: Innovation Corps
PFI: Partnerships for Innovation
SBIR/STTR: Small Business Research Program
NSF – Fundamental Research
SBIR
STTR

9. Funding Opportunities &
Beyond PFI:
Funding Opportunities &
Q&A Breakout Session
Wednesday pm
A601 / 602
Jesus Soriano
Prakash Balan