Caltech and the Art Center School of Design Awarded NSF Grant

Pasadena—The California Institute of Technology and the Art Center School of Design have been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Partnership for Innovation entrepreneurship grant. This grant creates postdegree (BS, MS, PhD) entrepreneurial fellowships with the goal of educating science, engineering and design students about business issues so they can transfer their skills and knowledge to commercial applications, and successfully develop new start-up business enterprises.

This grant was obtained through the cooperative contributions of Caltech, the Art Center School of Design, Caltech Entrepreneurial Alumni, the Pasadena and State governments, and various industrial partners.

The awards include projects in 20 states and Puerto Rico, totaling more than $14 million, each averaging approximately $600,000 over two to three years.

The NSF Partnerships for Innovation program will generate entrepreneurs who are prepared to transition technology into commercial products more efficiently and effectively. According to the NSF, "The Partnerships for Innovation program, new this year, helps build creative interactions in local communities between colleges and universities, government agencies, foundations and private corporations. Each partnership is tailored to help a specific community better position itself to accommodate research and development at the local and regional level, with the goal of advancing local economic and educational opportunities." The NSF has long funded Caltech on projects which have produced significant scientific and engineering results. The new Partnerships for Innovation program is designed to leverage these successful programs into the business arena.

Contact: Deborah Williams-Hedges (626) 395-3227 debwms@caltech.edu