[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3253 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3253
To require the Director of the National Science Foundation to develop
an I-Corps course to support commercialization-ready innovation
companies, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 4, 2020
Mr. Coons (for himself and Mr. Young) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Director of the National Science Foundation to develop
an I-Corps course to support commercialization-ready innovation
companies, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Innovators to Entrepreneurs Act of
2020''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The National Science Foundation Innovation Corps
Program (hereinafter referred to as ``I-Corps''), created
administratively by the Foundation in 2011 and statutorily
authorized in the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act,
has succeeded in increasing the commercialization of
Government-funded research.
(2) I-Corps provides valuable entrepreneurial education to
graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and other researchers,
providing formal training for scientists and engineers to
pursue careers in business, an increasingly common path for
advanced degree holders.
(3) The I-Corps Teams program is successful in part due to
its focus on providing the specific types of education and
mentoring entrepreneurs need based on the early stage of their
companies, however the program does not provide similar support
to them at later stages.
(4) The success of I-Corps in the very early stages of the
innovation continuum should be expanded upon by offering
additional entrepreneurship training to small businesses as
they advance toward commercialization.
(5) The excellent training made available to grantees of
participating agencies through the I-Corps Program should be
made available to all Federal grantees as well as other
businesses willing to pay the cost of attending such training.
(6) The success of the I-Corps Program at promoting
entrepreneurship within research institutions and encouraging
research commercialization has been due in part to the National
Science Foundation's efforts to date on building a national
network of science entrepreneurs, including convening
stakeholders, promoting national I-Corps courses, cataloguing
best practices and encourage sharing between sites and
institutions, and developing a mentor network.
(7) As the I-Corps Program continues to grow and expand,
the National Science Foundation should maintain its focus on
networking and information sharing to ensure that innovators
across the country can learn from their peers and remain
competitive.
SEC. 3. EXPANDED PARTICIPATION IN I-CORPS.
Section 601(c)(2) of the American Innovation and Competitiveness
Act (42 U.S.C. 1862s-8(c)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(C) Additional participants.--
``(i) Eligibility.--The Director, in
consultation with relevant stakeholders, as
determined by the Director, which may include
Federal agencies, I-Corps regional nodes,
universities, and public and private entities
engaged in technology transfer or
commercialization of technologies, shall
provide an option for participation in an I-
Corps Teams course by--
``(I) Small Business Innovation
Research Program grantees; and
``(II) other entities, as
determined appropriate by the Director.
``(ii) Cost of participation.--The cost of
participation by a Small Business Innovation
Research Program grantee in such course may be
provided--
``(I) through I-Corps Teams grants;
``(II) through funds awarded to
grantees under the Small Business
Innovation Research Program or the
Small Business Technology Transfer
Program;
``(III) by the grantor Federal
agency of the grantee using funds set
aside for the Small Business Innovation
Research Program under section 9(f)(1)
of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
638(f)(1));
``(IV) by the grantor Federal
agency of the grantee using funds set
aside for the Small Business Technology
Transfer Program under section 9(n)(1)
of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.
638(n)(1)); or
``(V) by the participating
teams.''.
SEC. 4. I-CORPS COURSE FOR COMMERCIALIZATION-READY PARTICIPANTS.
(a) In General.--In carrying out the I-Corps program described in
section 601(c) of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (42
U.S.C. 1862s-8(c)), the Director shall develop an I-Corps course
offered by I-Corps regional nodes to support commercialization-ready
participants. Such course shall include skills such as attracting
investors, scaling up a company, and building a brand.
(b) Engagement With Relevant Stakeholders.--In developing the
course under subsection (a), the Director may consult with the heads of
such Federal agencies, universities, and public and private entities as
the Director determines to be appropriate.
(c) Eligible Participants.--The course developed under subsection
(a) shall--
(1) support participants that have completed an I-Corps
Teams course; and
(2) support participants that have made the decision to
take an innovation to market.
SEC. 5. REPORT.
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a
report containing an evaluation of the I-Corps program described in
section 601(c) of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (42
U.S.C. 1862s-8(c)). Such evaluation shall include an assessment of the
effects of I-Corps on--
(1) the commercialization of federally funded research and
development;
(2) the higher education system; and
(3) regional economies and the national economy.
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