The National Science Foundation (NSF) debuted a new program last fall aimed at increasing the impact of NSF-funded basic research. Made possible through a public–private partnership, the NSF Innovation Corps, or I-Corps, will enable researchers to assess the commercial potential of new technologies or products based on their research over the next few years.

I-Corps provides a unique opportunity for materials researchers to learn entrepreneurial skills and explore potential applications of their work, said Mary Galvin, a program director for the Division of Materials Research. Whether it be in electronics, clean energy, biomaterials, or other needs, she said, the materials community has a lot of potential for commercializing its discoveries.

NSF primarily funds basic research, but advancing the health, prosperity, and welfare of the country is a critical component of its mission. I-Corps builds on NSF’s basic research investments by providing $50,000 in financial support and mentoring support for researchers as they explore the market viability of a product or technology. This exploratory phase is traditionally challenging for researchers because funding is difficult to secure before a technology’s usefulness is demonstrated. Additionally, many researchers lack experience with business plans, licensing technology, and other entrepreneurial skills.

The mentorship element is critical to the I-Corps effort according to Errol Arkilic, program director for I-Corps. “Sometimes the skill set of the teams that do the basic research is different than the skill set required to refine those basic research properties into something that is commercially meaningful.” The gap between basic research and commercial readiness is widening, he said. I-Corps aims to close this gap by helping researchers learn entrepreneurial skills and develop ideas to the point where they can attract outside funding.

One of the features that most distinguishes the I-Corps effort among NSF’s portfolio of programs, said Galvin, is that it teaches professors, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students what it takes to be entrepreneurs. All I-Corps awardees participate in a curriculum that includes a kick-off workshop, web-based lectures, and other learning opportunities. By bringing together research and entrepreneurial experts, NSF is creating a class of materials scientists that is educated in entrepreneurship as well as basic research, said Galvin.

I-Corps awards are made to teams consisting of a principal investigator who has an active or recently active NSF award, a postdoctoral or graduate student entrepreneurial lead, and a private sector mentor who has experience moving a similar type of technology, product, or process from an academic laboratory into the private sector. I-Corps mentors serve as third-party resources—they can be from the specific I-Corps mentor network or recommended by a proposing institution.

In October 2011, NSF announced the first round of awardees. The Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences was well-represented among the 21 awards, said Arkilic, with materials playing a key role in multiple projects. These projects include graphene, photocatalysts for water remediation, and silicon terahertz electronics. Applications for the current round are being accepted through March 15, 2012.

Reflecting on this first round, Arkilic said that the highest performing I-Corps teams came in with a specific vision for how their technology could be used. The vision may change over time, he said, but teams need to start with a specific application or it is difficult to identify and communicate with potential customers.

This sentiment was echoed by Galvin. “Think about narrowing the platform or idea to one or two potential applications,” she advises materials researchers interested in submitting a proposal to I-Corps. Even if a platform has many potential applications, focus on only a couple or the project will become too defocused to succeed, she said.

The I-Corps effort is a partnership between NSF and two foundations, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Deshpande Foundation. Both have a long history of supporting innovation and an appreciation for the challenges related to bringing a new technology from an academic laboratory to a wider market, said Arkilic. “We are very proud to be working with the Kauffman Foundation and Deshpande Foundation in a public–private partnership for this purpose.” The I-Corps program also has a national network of advisors and partnering institutions.

The Directorate for Engineering manages I-Corps, but interested researchers should first discuss proposal ideas with a topic-specific program officer such as Galvin. Potential applicants should then talk to an I-Corps program officer—only proposals with prior written authorization from an I-Corps program officer are accepted.

Up to 100 I-Corps awards will be made annually, with submission deadlines of March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15. More information on the I-Corps program can be accessed at www.nsf.gov/i-corps.

Graphene circuits created with a new synthesis technology developed by a University of Pennsylvania research group. The team, led by A.T. Charlie Johnson, received an I-Corps award to explore the commercial feasibility of producing high-quality, uniform, large-area graphene films with this technology.