WASHINGTON — Lofty equations and experiments of academia may seem far from practical innovations in manufacturing. The National Science Foundation and Cedar Valley Tech Works, however, are making the transition of technology into the public sector a little easier.
NSF’s I-Corps Initiative, which was launched on Thursday, will support making scientific discoveries applicable to everyday life. Organizations that already receive NSF funding will be paired with leaders in the business and entrepreneurial worlds as mentors to create a national ecosystem of partnership and innovation. NSF will fund 100 projects per year and organizations can begin applying on Aug. 17.
“This new program can be, must be, an integral part of our efforts to transfer scientific knowledge from the laboratory bench to the factory floor,” said John Holdren, an adviser to President Barack Obama on science and technology.
I-Corps is open only to those who already receive NSF funding, which makes Cedar Valley Tech Works ineligible to apply for the program. However, the Iowa facility is working towards the same goal, focusing on using bioproducts designed for agriculture in other ways.
“Our primary mission is to be that place where the product of research associated with biomaterials meets the manufacturing process,” said Steve Dust, president of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance.
The NSF initiative plans to link universities and other researchers with business members and entrepreneurs to aid in commercialization of products, said Holdren. NSF Director Subra Suresh, said there is a national need for universities to tap into a network of mentors to stimulate innovation.
Cedar Valley Tech Works also works with universities, collaborating with the University of Northern Iowa on its work with biolubricants, which can be safer than petroleum, at the National AG-Based Lubricant Center.
The Iowa facility is interested in working primarily with biomaterials—bioplastics, polymers and lubricants. The NSF, however, hopes its I-Corps initiative will encourage innovation in all disciplines and institutions.
“I think all my colleagues firmly believe that every field of science and engineering has the potential to lead to significant innovation, it just doesn’t have the opportunity,” Suresh said. “Innovation comes from unexpected quarters and from unexpected people.”
What is I-Corps?
I-Corps is a partnership between business and science designed to move innovation from labs across America to real-world application in manufacturing facilities. NSF funded researchers with ideas for public sector innovation can apply for the program, which involves a $50,000 award to do six months of preliminary research. Participating in the program also gives researchers access to the network of both NSF board members and other business entrepreneurs.
How to apply?
Researchers must submit a proposal between Aug. 17 and Sept. 9 for the first quarter which details how technology can be used in new ways and the potential commercial impact. The review process is rapid, as innovation and technology move quickly, and applicants receive a decision 45 days after submission. The announcement of awards this year will happen on Sept. 30.
What are expected outcomes of I-Corps?
Some expected outcomes, according to NSF, are: new start-up businesses, students with entrepreneurial skills and business plans that investors could review.
For more information, please visit http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/i-corps/.