NSFBAA-ENGINES-2022-05-1: 2022 NSF Regional Innovation Engines Concept Outlines

S. Fleming
W. Burleson
J. Roveda
H. Hua
M. Barton
M. Van Dyke

June 2022 update: RII/RDS has identified proposal teams who are working on concept outlines. PIs interested in collaborating on a concept outline should please email RDS with questions.

While NSF currently allows more than one concept outline to be submitted by an institution, UArizona may ultimately only submit one full proposal. Therefore, due to the complexity and scope of this program, RII is Institutionally Coordinating the submission of Concept Outlines to NSF, as well as the full proposal once NSF's invitations have been sent out.

Research Development Services hosted an informational webinar about the NSF Regional Innovation Engines solicitation on May 16th that included an overview of the opportunity, a discussion on the internal coordination process, and short introductions to some of the regional innovation partners available for proposing teams. Please Contact RDS for a copy of the recording. Joining Research Development was a panel consisting of Tech Launch Arizona, Tech Parks Arizona, Arizona FORGE, CyVerse, and Government & Community Relations.

Full sponsor guidelines

The NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program is a bold new initiative, committed to creating regional-scale, technology-driven innovation ecosystems throughout every region of the United States, accelerating emerging technologies, driving economic growth, addressing key societal challenges, and maintaining national competitiveness.

The NSF Engines program aims to fund regional coalitions of partnering organizations to establish NSF Engines that will catalyze technology and science-based regional innovation ecosystems. Each Engine must focus on addressing specific aspects of a major societal and/or economic challenge that are of significant interest in the Engine’s defined “region of service,” where such a region could range from a metropolitan area (including its adjacent rural regions) to an area spanning parts of several states. The mission of an Engine must be clearly rooted in regional interests and the development of regional talent. The emphasis on “regions” expresses NSF’s aim to stimulate innovation-driven economic growth within a particular region of service. The NSF Engines program is particularly interested in creating new business and economic growth in those regions of America that have not fully participated in the technology boom of the past several decades.

NSF will fund Engines to carry out an integrated and comprehensive set of activities spanning use-inspired research, translation-to-practice, entrepreneurship, and workforce development to nurture and accelerate regional industries. Engines must also work to bring together an inclusive and diverse network of partners and stakeholders who will participate in the regional innovation ecosystem. With the goal of advancing emerging industries and creating societal and economic value, NSF Engines will emphasize research that meaningfully engages the consumers of research outcomes in motivating that research as well as in the subsequent prototyping and piloting of research-based solutions (i.e., co-design and co-creation), the translation of research results to practice, entrepreneurship, and direct economic growth.

Funding for this program will prioritize regions across the Nation without well-established innovation ecosystems. Engines in regions of the country where prospective ecosystem members exist, but where innovation activities are only loosely connected, are of particular interest.

Concept Outline Narrative Components must include (from the solicitation)

The Concept Outline narrative must address each component below, with the following labeled sections: (Concept outlines for Type-1 proposals should only address Sections a-d, below:

• Topic Area: Describe the national and societal significance of the broad topic area that the Engine is aiming to address.
• Region of Service: A brief description of the intended geographical region of service, and the current state of the innovation ecosystem in the region of service (see Appendix A).
• Purpose and Vision of the proposed Engine: The overall purpose and vision of the proposed Engine, which must list specific use-inspired challenge(s) that the Engine will address, as well as the current state of practice and major gaps the Engine will focus on (e.g., scientific and technological innovations, policy, products, services, workforce expertise).
• Regional Importance and Impact: How the proposed region of service is well-positioned to create the Engine, catalyze the associated regional innovation ecosystem, and result in meaningful translational outputs (e.g., products, services, startup companies, tools, and technologies).

Narratives for Type-2 Concept Outlines must also include:

• Partnerships: The envisioned regional innovation ecosystem of partners and stakeholders, clearly identifying (1) existing core partners and their expected contributions and (2) potential additional partners, how such partners would help accomplish the Engine’s vision and core functions, and plans to recruit these partners prior to the submission of the proposal.
• Workforce Development: The future regional workforce needs in the proposed topic area.
• Related Initiatives: How the proposed NSF Engine differs from and/or leverages other existing large-scale efforts in the topic area.