Connecting and Coordinating a National Innovation Network

2011年，美国国家科学基金会（NSF）创建了创新军团（I-Corps）计划，以培训NSF资助的研究人员评估他们的科学发现的商业潜力。该项目通过建立一个由全国大学发明者和创新者联盟（NCIIA）连接和协调的国家创新网络（NIN）来扩展I-Corps计划的范围。国家创新网络由I-Corps区域节点和I-Corps站点组成，它们合作建立、利用和维持一个创新生态系统，以促进有益于社会的技术、产品和流程的开发。I-Corps节点包括各种研究议程、资源、工具、能力和地理位置。NCIIA正在促进知识共享和协作，以最大限度地发挥整个I-Corps方案的影响，并帮助保持I-Corps在各个节点区域培训的一致性和质量。NCIIA正在与I-Corps节点合作，通过监测、分析和利用从I-Corps团队参与者收集的数据，创建和实施支持创新的工具;同时在全国范围内宣传有效的创新实践。NIN利用NCIA的使命来支持高等教育中的技术创新和创业精神，并为学生和成功的、对社会有益的创新和企业创造体验式学习机会。NCIIA正在协调一个地理上多样化的I-Corps节点和站点网络，以帮助全国各地的创新者和企业家将他们的概念商业化。NCIIA的NIN活动鼓励并使知识和专业知识在I-Corps节点和站点之间传播，以便他们能够更有效地加速NSF资助研究的商业化，创造新的商业机会并创造创新，从而为美国公民带来新的经济机会和利益。

Project DescriptionIn 2011, the National Science Foundation (NSF) created the Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program to train NSF-funded researchers to evaluate their scientific discoveries for commercial potential. This project extends the reach of the I-Corps program by establishing a National Innovation Network (NIN) that is connected and coordinated by the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA). The NIN is comprised of the I-Corps regional Nodes and I-Corps Sites, which work cooperatively to establish, utilize and sustain an innovation ecosystem that enhances the development of technologies, products and processes that benefit society. The I-Corps Nodes include a diverse set of research agendas, resources, tools, capabilities, and geographic locations. NCIIA is facilitating the sharing of knowledge and collaboration to maximize the impact of the overall I-Corps program and helping to maintain the consistency and quality of I-Corps training at the various Node regions. NCIIA is working in collaboration with the I-Corps Nodes to create and implement tools that support innovation, through monitoring, analyzing and utilizing data gathered from I-Corps Team participants; while propagating effective innovation practices on a national scale. Broader Significance of the Project The NIN leverages NCIIA's mission to support technology innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education and to create experiential learning opportunities for students and successful, socially beneficial innovations and businesses. NCIIA is coordinating a geographically diverse network of I-Corps Nodes and Sites to help enable innovators and entrepreneurs across the nation bring their concepts to commercialization. NCIIA's NIN activities are encouraging and enabling the dissemination of knowledge and expertise among the I-Corps Nodes and Sites so they can more effectively accelerate the commercialization of NSF-funded research, create new business opportunities and create innovations that can lead to new economic opportunity and benefits for U.S. citizens.