National Partnership for Managing Upstream Innovation: The Case of Nanoscience and Technology

North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC

Investigators

Abstract

0438684 Bartley This award is to North Carolina State University to support the activity described below for 36 months. The proposal was submitted in response to the Partnerships for Innovation Program Solicitation (NSF-04556). Partners The partners include North Carolina State University (Lead Institution), Industrial Research Institute (North Carolina State University-based group of 210 companies that fund 75% of the industrial R&D performed in the US), and Center for Innovation and Management Studies (group of 60 researchers at North Carolina State University). The primary objectives are to develop a new conduit for flow of knowledge between national research enterprise and the industrial corporations, to develop new methods to manage innovation to aid the transition of the early stage science and technology into commercial value, to disseminate the results of the partnership's outcomes and methods to a broad range of user groups through regional education and outreach programs. Potential Economic Impact The proposed innovations include transfer of research and technology from the research enterprise in the nano-science and engineering area to companies that are capable of exploiting it to create products and businesses. The national expenditure in nano-related science and engineering is estimated in the billions of dollars, and the nation is not on track to meet expectations for trillions of dollars in products and services owing to the difficulty in assessing the new information and converting it into products. The proposed partnership will investigate new methodologies to foster this innovation. The intellectual merit of the project includes formation of partnerships among academe, government, and the private sector to foster high tech, research based innovation in the region. The partnership includes university faculty and students, state, regional and local government, and the business community (including venture fund companies). The workforce to empower the innovation will be trained and educated in academic and outreach programs. The broader impacts of the activity concentrate on education and training of current and future entrepreneurs. There is a strong emphasis on involvement of underrepresented groups.