National Science Foundation Translation to Practice (NSF TTP)

The NSF Translation to Practice (NSF TTP) program focuses on real-world applications of all areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The program offers three tracks representing different stages in moving discoveries and innovations from laboratory to practice. NSF TTP-Explore (TTP-E) is a pilot track for researchers with active NSF awards to extend their funding for up to two years to explore adventurous, high-risk, use-inspired research and initial translational activities. NSF TTP-Translate (TTP-T) focuses on translating research results into technological innovations with promising commercial, economic, and/or other impacts, maturing ideas, iterating and improving solutions, ensuring scalability and accessibility. NSF TTP-Partner (TTP-P) supports translational efforts requiring partnerships for technology development and deployment with strategic partners including industry, government entities, philanthropies, international organizations, or other groups associated with large-scale productization and distribution. The program seeks to identify and support use-inspired research and translational activities enabling a continuum from foundational research to practice, develop partnerships between academic and non-academic entities, promote education and training of students and postdoctoral researchers, and identify future customer needs through NSF I-Corps training. Successful outcomes may include accelerated product maturation, open-source projects, standards setting, patents, pre-commercial or commercial products/processes/services, and startup or small business formation.