Commercialization of emerging nanotechnologies requires innovators and entrepreneurs capable of translating discoveries to commercial manufacturing and production. It’s a tough but thrilling task that requires skill, persistence, and more than a little luck. Below are some resources to help nano entrepreneurs make the leap from discovery to commercialization.  

Have a national or site-specific resource you’d like to share with the NNCI? Contact Matthew Hull. 

National Resources:

• NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps): The nation’s premier program for helping researchers make the transition from the lab to a thriving start-up. Over 10 years, NSF I-Corps has trained more than 5,700 people, helped launch more than 1,200 businesses, and raised more than $1 billion in follow-on funding. 

             I-Corps™ at NIH: The National Institutes of Health’s version of the NSF I-Corps program
             Energy I-Corps: The US Department of Energy’s version of the NSF I-Corps program

• Activate Fellowships: A two-year fellowship to turn your technology concept into a product. 

• SBIR/STTR – Small Business Research Innovation Research: Seed-funding to help launch your US-based small business. 
   
• NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP): Public-private partnership with centers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Helps US-based small and medium sized manufacturers scale up manufacturing, generate sales, streamline operations, secure investment, and create or retain jobs. 

NNCI Site-Specific Resources:

• Montana Nanotechnology Facility (MONT)
   
• Nebraska Nanoscale Facility (NNF)
   
• Northwest Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NNI)
   
• Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network (RTNN)
   
• San Diego Nanotechnology Infrastructure (SDNI)
   
• Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental (SHyNE) Resource
   
• Southeastern Nanotechnology Infrastructure Corridor (SENIC)
   
• Virginia Tech National Center for Earth and Environmental Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NanoEarth)