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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E739]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2021
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speech of
HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Thursday, July 30, 2020
Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, as we continue to confront the health and
economic crises presented by COVID-19, Americans are understandably
anxious about the future. I take hope in our history of meeting
extraordinary challenges with new innovations, and I believe research
and development will be a key part in addressing today's challenges as
well.
Our federal government supports some of the brightest and most
creative minds in the world at America's colleges and universities
through research grants administered by the National Science
Foundation. Particularly in this time of economic turmoil, we must
ensure that we fully capitalize on these research investments by
transitioning scientific discovery into tangible products, creating new
businesses for a healthy and prosperous America.
My amendment highlights the importance of programs like the National
Science Foundation Innovation Corps in facilitating tech transfer. I-
Corps, as it is known, began in 2011 and utilizes the Lean LaunchPad
curriculum developed by serial entrepreneur Steve Blank to train
faculty, students, and other researchers in entrepreneurship. The
immersive experience requires participants to get out of the lab and
interview industry leaders and potential customers. Researchers gain an
improved understanding of how their work could be further applied to
meet real needs in our nation. These insights improve potential
commercialization of their work and influence future research
directions.
According to the spring 2019 Innovation Corps biennial report, since
inception in 2011 I-Corps has trained 1,315 teams with a total of 3,745
people. These participants have raised rnore than $300 million in
follow-on funding and created 644 startups. The report highlights
recent participating teams, including Respira Labs, which spun out of
the University of California Berkley to develop a technology
incorporating AI to predict chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
attacks; Diligent Robotics, which develops robotic equipment that
supports healthcare staff in Texas; and Ecovia Renewables, founded at
the University of Michigan to create compostable alternatives to
petrochemical polymers found in a variety of commercial products. These
and many other companies are now in existence due to the National
Science Foundation research funding and the training that enabled their
founders to transition their findings into tangible products Americans
can use.
I thank my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee for increasing
funding for this critical program in this year's CJS appropriations
bill, to a total of $40 million. I encourage my colleagues to continue
their strong support for National Science Foundation university
research programs and I-Corps in future budgets.
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