The NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP) advances use-inspired and translational research in all fields of science and engineering, giving rise to new industries and engaging all Americans in the pursuit of new, high-wage jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
NSF TIP's mission
NSF TIP seeks to engage all Americans in accelerating critical and emerging technologies to advance U.S. competitiveness. The directorate partners across sectors to advance three primary focus areas: accelerating critical and emerging technology, expanding the geography of American innovation, and preparing the American workforce for better-quality, higher-wage jobs.
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Strategy 1 — Accelerate critical and emerging technology
TIP is working to accelerate advancements in critical and emerging technology to ensure that the United States maintains its leadership in sectors of significant economic and national security importance.
Accelerating Research Translation (ART)
Supports academic institutions to speed and scale their translational research activities to deliver impactful products, services, and solutions.
Advancing Cell-Free Systems Toward Increased Range of Use-Inspired Applications (CFIRE)
Accelerates the adoption of cell-free systems, enables new applications of this technology and contributes to the growth of the U.S. bioeconomy.
America's Seed Fund
Invests in hundreds of early-stage startups, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Each company can receive up to $2 million to support research and development.
Assessing and Predicting Technology Outcomes (APTO)
Funds evaluation of the effectiveness of research and development investments and supports the creation of models that accurately describe past and future technology outcomes.
Breaking the Low Latency Barrier for Verticals in Next-G Wireless Networks (Breaking Low)
Seeks to identify and solve critical architectural, technical and technological issues that must be resolved in current 5G and next-generation wireless networks.
Building the Prototype Open Knowledge Network (Proto-OKN)
Supports building a prototype version of an integrated public data and knowledge framework.
NSF Innovation Corps (NSF I-Corps™)
Provides experiential entrepreneurial education to further American innovation. NSF I-Corps connects the technological, entrepreneurial and business communities — addressing skill and knowledge gaps to reduce the time it takes to bring technologies from the lab to the marketplace.
Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems (POSE)
Offers researchers a novel pathway for translational impact. Fosters open-source communities and models — from software systems and data systems to climate modeling and CRISPR — to create products and artifacts.
Privacy-Preserving Data Sharing in Practice (PDaSP)
Supports the advancement of privacy-enhancing technologies in a responsible and safe AI future.
Safety, Security, and Privacy of Open-Source Ecosystems (Safe-OSE)
Supports efforts to address safety, security and privacy vulnerabilities in open-source ecosystems to enhance their resilience and ability to manage current and future risks.
Toward a Network of Programmable Cloud Laboratories (PCL Test Bed)
Establishes artificial intelligence-enabled laboratories nationwide to integrate, test, evaluate and validate the capabilities of new cutting-edge AI-based technologies.
Translation to Practice (TTP)
Supports use-inspired research, translational activities and partnerships that turn scientific discoveries into real-world solutions. Researchers can gain market insights, launch commercial applications and/or facilitate industry adoption.
Use-Inspired Acceleration of Protein Design (USPRD)
Accelerates the translation of novel approaches to protein design and enables new applications of importance to the U.S. bioeconomy.
Verticals-enabling Intelligent Network Systems (VINES)
Enhances wireless communications and intelligent network systems for faster, more reliable user-to-cloud connections.
Strategy 2 — Expand the geography of American innovation
TIP is dedicated to enhancing domestic capacity not only to generate ideas but also to rapidly bring them to the market. Through various ecosystem-focused programs, NSF is fostering a new wave of products and solutions conceived, manufactured and consumed in America by American workers.
NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines)
Supports the development of cross-sector regional coalitions to engage in use-inspired research, drive research results to the market and society, promote workforce development and ultimately stimulate the economy and create new jobs.
Strategy 3 — Build a competition-ready workforce
TIP is creating accessible pathways into future jobs by investing in institutions and infrastructure responsible for training workers in current competitive technologies and emerging technologies that will define the global job market.
Entrepreneurial Fellowships
NSF funds entrepreneurial fellowships through the nonprofit organization Activate.org. Over two years, each Activate Fellow supported by NSF will receive training and at least $350,000 in direct support, plus access to specialized research facilities and equipment.
Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT)
Expands practical learning opportunities for individuals interested in entering or gaining more experience in emerging and novel technology areas.
National Network for Microelectronics Education (NNME)
Aims to address the expected shortage of skilled workers needed by the U.S. semiconductor and microelectronics industry over the next decade through a $30 million NSF and U.S. Department of Commerce funding opportunity.
NSF Research Traineeship
A new track of the NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) program is designed to help graduate students at non-R1 institutions of higher education– institutions without high research activity – develop the skills, knowledge and competencies needed to pursue a range of careers in STEM.
Workforce Development RFI (NSF 23-100) Responses
NSF requested input on ways to make educational pathways into careers in key technologies accessible to any American through the Future Topics for Workforce Development in Emerging Technology Career Pathways Request for Information (RFI).