NASA’s Innovative Partnerships Program – Bolstering Entrepreneurship in the U.S.
- Paper number
IAC-09.E6.3.10
- Author
Mr. Douglas Comstock, NASA, United States
- Year
2009
- Abstract
The Innovative Partnerships Program is bolstering entrepreneurship in the U.S. through many mechanisms including direct funding, partnerships, prizes, access to NASA expertise and facilities, and licensing and other transfer of NASA technologies. This paper will provide a summary of these activities with examples. Direct funding comes from NASA’s Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, awarding about 400 contracts each year for technology development by small business entrepreneurs. NASA enters into many partnerships with entrepreneurs in areas where there is common interest in technology development and testing, through the IPP Seed Fund and other mechanisms. NASA currently has seven prize competitions under the Centennial Challenges program, which provide incentives to entrepreneurs for innovations in technology areas important to NASA. NASA has a depth of technical expertise and many unique facilities which can be accessed by entrepreneurs through space act agreements or other mechanisms. NASA licenses patents for technology to many firms including entrepreneurs. NASA employs many mechanisms to create awareness among entrepreneurs for opportunities with NASA, which are also addressed in the paper.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-09.E6.3.10.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.