NSF Launches Initiative to Advance Transformative Independent Research Organizations

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ago 17 hours

NSF Launches Initiative to Advance Transformative Independent Research Organizations

The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (NSF TIP) announced a groundbreaking initiative aimed at fostering independent research organizations on Friday. This new initiative is designed to tackle technical challenges that traditional university and industry labs often struggle to address.

What the NSF TIP Initiative Entails

The NSF is inviting feedback through a Request for Information (RFI), signaling its commitment to collaboration. Erwin Gianchandani, the NSF TIP Assistant Director, emphasized the necessity of adapting funding strategies to meet increasingly complex scientific challenges. He stated, “Tech Labs will provide entrepreneurial teams of proven scientists the freedom to pursue breakthrough science without the frequent interruption of grant applications.”

Focus of the Tech Labs Initiative

The Tech Labs initiative endeavors to create full-time teams of researchers, scientists, and engineers who will work with operational autonomy. These teams will receive milestone-based funding, enabling them to pursue significant technical breakthroughs capable of reshaping entire technology sectors.

Operational autonomy for research teams
Milestone-based funding model
Focus on transitioning technologies from concept to market

Unlike traditional research outputs, such as publications and datasets, Tech Labs will foster a more hands-on approach to technology translation, ensuring that innovations can reach commercial viability more rapidly.

Investment Timeline and Community Input

NSF plans to roll out significant investments beginning in fiscal year 2026, with large multi-year awards for selected teams. The agency is also seeking insights from various sectors, including academia, government, and the private sector, to refine the initiative.

A webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 11 a.m. EST, where stakeholders can learn more about this initiative. Advance registration for the webinar is encouraged.

Upcoming Initiatives: NSF TIP Tech Accelerators

This announcement follows the anticipated NSF TIP Tech Accelerators Initiative, which aligns closely with the Tech Labs Initiative in its mission. The Tech Accelerators program aims to provide diverse entry points for teams to innovate and translate technology effectively to market.

Strategic Vision

Both initiatives are part of a broader effort to revitalize the American science and technology ecosystem as articulated by President Trump’s administration. They focus on innovative funding models to enhance the sharing of high-value scientific infrastructure.

By integrating insights from think tanks, metascience experts, and other stakeholders, these initiatives are poised to better support the next generation of scientific entrepreneurs in the United States.

About NSF TIP

The NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (NSF TIP) aims to engage all Americans in accelerating critical and emerging technologies to bolster U.S. competitiveness. The directorate collaborates across sectors to advance three main strategies: