In March, NSF announced the first new directorate in decades, the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships or TIP.

TIP will serve to advance use-inspired and translational research in all fields of science and engineering with the intention of accelerating breakthroughs in critical and emerging technologies and giving rise to new industries which will help in the long-term to grow U.S. competitiveness. TIP spans across NSF and will collaborate closely with each of NSF’s other directorates and offices at all levels, including through potential co-funding and/or new programs.

TIP will be organized around three primary areas: 1) fostering innovation ecosystems, 2) establishing translation pathways, and 3) partnering across sectors to engage the nation’s diverse talent. Existing programs such as the Convergence Accelerator, the Partnerships for Innovation program, NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps^TM) program, and American’s Seed Fund [also known as the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs] have moved into the new TIP directorate.  

The first new program in the TIP directorate was just announced through the Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) Program (22-082).

For more information about TIP, please see their website. Additionally, we strongly suggest you sign up for the NSF newsletter to stay informed of the new opportunities arising within TIP.