As codified in the "CHIPS and Science Act of 2022" the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) advances use-inspired and translational research in all fields of science and engineering, giving rise to new industries and engaging all Americans — regardless of background or location — in the pursuit of new, high-wage jobs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
TIP's mission
The Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) advances U.S. competitiveness and societal impact by nurturing partnerships that drive and accelerate diverse innovation ecosystems, technology translation and development, and workforce development.
On this page
Fostering diverse innovation ecosystems
TIP nurtures ecosystems of researchers, practitioners and users to shape research directions, catalyze iterative co-design and co-creation, develop breakthrough technologies and solutions to address pressing national, geostrategic and societal challenges, and grow the future workforce.
Convergence Accelerator
Builds upon NSF's investment in basic research and discovery to accelerate solutions toward societal and economic impact. Convergence Accelerator multidisciplinary teams use convergence research fundamentals and innovation processes to stimulate innovative idea sharing and development of sustainable solutions.
Regional Innovation Engines
Bolsters innovation ecosystems across the U.S. The Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program supports the development of diverse, 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.
EPIIC
The NSF Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity (EPIIC) program provides institutions with training and networking support to develop the capacity and institutional knowledge needed to help build more inclusive ecosystems and enable participation in regional innovation ecosystems, potentially connecting to NSF Engines.
Accelerating Technology Translation and Development
TIP accelerates the translation and development of breakthrough technologies. New programs are focusing on use-inspired and translational research in specific subareas within the key technology focus areas codified in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Additionally, TIP programs provide pathways for researchers, startups, small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs to move their ideas from the lab to the market and society.
Technology Translation
Lab-to-Market
Lab-to-market: Partnerships for Innovation
Provides NSF-funded researchers the opportunity to increase the impact of their discoveries. Partnerships For Innovation, or PFI, teaches researchers how to develop and implement a technology roadmap, create a business model, and develop their technology into a prototype or proof of concept.
Lab-to-Market: Innovation Corps (I-Corps™)
Provides experiential entrepreneurial education to further the nation's innovation ecosystem. 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.
Lab-to-Market: America's Seed Fund
Invests in hundreds of early-stage startups annually, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. America's Seed Fund, powered by NSF, supports startups and small businesses working across almost all areas of science and technology. Each company can receive up to $2 million to support research and development.
Open-source ecosystems: Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems
Offers researchers a novel pathway for translational impact. Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems, or POSE, fosters open-source communities and models — from software systems and data systems to climate modeling and CRISPR — to create products and artifacts that help to solve societal and economic challenges.
Capacity Building: ART
The Accelerating Research Translation program will support academic institutions to speed and scale their translational research activities to deliver impactful products, services, and solutions.
Societal and Ethical Implications: ReDDDoT
The Responsible Design, Development and Deployment of Technologies (ReDDDoT) program aims to help create technologies that promote the public's wellbeing and mitigate potential harms.
Technology Development
Artificial Intelligence: Proto-OKN
The NSF Building the Prototype Open Knowledge Network (Proto-OKN) program will build a prototype version of an integrated public data and knowledge framework.
Data: Privacy-Enhancing Technologies
Build privacy-preserving artificial intelligence solutions to tackle financial crime and improve pandemic responses by competing in the Privacy Enhancing Technologies Prize Challenge.
Learning Tech: VITAL Prize Challenge
Develop innovative learning technologies for K-12 students by competing in the Visionary Interdisciplinary Teams Advancing Learning, or VITAL, Prize Challenge.
BioTech: USPRD
Use-Inspired Acceleration of Protein Design (USPRD) is a $40 million, three-year initiative that will accelerate the translation of novel approaches to protein design and enable new applications of importance to the U.S. bioeconomy.
Biotech: CFIRE
A new $40 million funding opportunity designed to accelerate the adoption of cell-free systems, enable new applications of this technology and contribute to the growth of the U.S. bioeconomy.
Communications: Breaking Low
Breaking the Low Latency Barrier for Verticals in Next-G Wireless Networks (Breaking Low) is a $12 million, two-year initiative that seeks to identify and solve critical architectural, technical and technological issues that must be resolved in current fifth-generation (5G) and next-generation (Next-G) wireless networks.
APTO
The Assessing and Predicting Technology Outcomes (APTO) program will fund research to evaluate the effectiveness of research and development investments and the creation of models that accurately describe past and future technology outcomes.
Growing Talent and Resource Development
TIP ignites partnerships among academia, industry, government, nonprofits, civil society and communities of practice to meet people where they are, providing pathways for learners and workers of all backgrounds and perspectives with access to the experiential and educational offerings that position them to participate in the 21st-century STEM-driven economy.
ExLENT
The NSF Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) program expands practical learning opportunities for individuals interested in entering or gaining more experience in emerging and novel technology areas.
Entrepreneurial Fellowships
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. These Entrepreneurial Fellowships are made possible by NSF funding to Activate.org, a nonprofit organization.
Workforce Development RFI (NSF23-100) Responses
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).