Leaders
The National Science Foundation Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships
Building upon decades of work in advancing research and education, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), established the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP), the first new NSF directorate in more than 30 years, on March 16, 2022. Not long after, its establishment was then codified with the enactment of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, authorizing the establishment of TIP and charging it with ensuring the U.S. is in the vanguard of competitiveness for decades to come. One of TIP’s three primary focus areas is nurturing innovation and technology ecosystems. This essential work brings together teams of researchers, practitioners and users to advance key technologies, address pressing regional, national, societal, and geostrategic challenges, and grow the future workforce.
Regional Innovation Engines
The Regional Innovation Engines Program (NSF Engines) bolsters innovation ecosystems across the U.S. NSF Engines 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. The U.S. National Science Foundation's Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program was authorized in the "CHIPS and Science Act of 2022" (Section 10388).
Each NSF Engine can receive up to $160 million to support the development of diverse regional coalitions of researchers, institutions, companies and civil society to conduct research and development that engages people in the process of creating solutions with economic and societal impacts. Through the process, NSF Engines will train and develop the local workforce and grow regional innovation ecosystems throughout the U.S.
Learn about the NSF Engines Program
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.
Learn about the NSF Convergence Accelerator
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.
Learn about EPIIC.