To help small businesses develop meaningful technologies, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) invested $20 million to launch a two-year pilot program targeting small businesses seeking deep technologies. The funding is meant to overcome the gap that has traditionally separated federal funding of deep technology research from commercial success. 

As Erwin Gianchandani, NSF Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships, explained, “NSF invests in small businesses that bring the most innovative, cutting-edge technologies to the market. By helping these companies go further in bridging the so-called 'valley of death,' we can build on NSF's R&D investments and help more breakthrough innovations reach the market, strengthening U.S. competitiveness and economic growth.”

Acknowledging the importance of supporting R&D at smaller companies and the role that the University of Central Florida (UCF) can play, Alexander N. Cartwright, the president of UCF, said, “We are grateful to NSF for its continued confidence in UCF and for the opportunity to help shape the future of research translation and commercialization.”

He explained that the financing may help researchers in multiple industries. “Discovery reaches its greatest potential when it moves beyond the laboratory and improves lives, strengthens industries, and creates opportunities. UCF's National Commercialization and Translation Institute (NCTI) builds on UCF's growing national leadership in helping promising technologies become products, companies, and economic growth.”

The pilot program will help evaluate which factors help smaller businesses with deep technology reach the marketplace. The program was authorized under the NSF’s Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (NSF SBIR/STTR) Commercialization Readiness Pilot Program.