National Economic Council Issues RFI to Explore Commercialization of University Research

The National Economic Council within the Office of Science and Technology Policy has issued a Request for Information for those with recommendations for increasing the capacity for commercializing university-grown technologies.  This is part of the administration’s overall innovation strategy which aims to increase support for both fundamental research at the nation’s universities, and the effective commercialization of promising technologies.  The council is interested in hearing from and working with all stakeholders – universities, companies, Federal research labs, entrepreneurs, investors and non-profits – to identify ways of increasing the economic impact of Federal investments in university R&D and the innovations being fostered in both Federal and private proof of concept centers.

Responses to the RFI are due April 26.  The first section solicits input from the public on how best to encourage commercialization of university research and the second part seeks public comment on how proof of concept centers can provide a means of stimulating commercialization of early-stage technologies by bridging the so called “valley of death” between innovation and capital investment.

For more details, see the RFI as published in the Federal Registry