179 
(i) prototype or proof-of-concept devel-
opment; and 
(ii) such activities as the Director con-
siders necessary to build local, regional, 
and national infrastructure for science and 
engineering entrepreneurship. 
(B) LIMITATION.—Grants under subpara-
graph (A) shall be limited to participants with 
innovations that because of the early stage of 
development are not eligible to participate in a 
Small Business Innovation Research Program 
or a Small Business Technology Transfer Pro-
gram. 
(4) STATE
AND
LOCAL
PARTNERSHIPS.—The 
Director may engage in partnerships with State and 
local governments, economic development organiza-
tions, and nonprofit organizations to provide access 
to the I-Corps program to support entrepreneurship 
education and training for researchers, students, and 
institutions under this subsection. 
(5) REPORTS.—The Director shall submit to 
the appropriate committees of Congress a biennial 
report on I-Corps program efficacy, including 
metrics on the effectiveness of the program. Each 
Federal science agency participating in the I-Corps 
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program or that implements a similar program 
under paragraph (2)(A) shall contribute to the re-
port. 
(6) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection, the 
terms ‘‘Small Business Innovation Research Pro-
gram’’ and ‘‘Small Business Technology Transfer 
Program’’ have the meanings given those terms in 
section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
638). 
SEC. 602. TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH GRANTS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) commercialization of federally funded re-
search may benefit society and the economy; and 
(2) not-for-profit organizations support the 
commercialization of federally funded research by 
providing useful business and technical expertise to 
researchers. 
(b) COMMERCIALIZATION PROMOTION.—The Direc-
tor of the Foundation shall continue to award grants on 
a competitive, merit-reviewed basis to eligible entities to 
promote the commercialization of federally funded re-
search results. 
(c) USE OF FUNDS.—Activities supported by grants 
under this section may include— 
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(1) identifying Foundation-sponsored research 
and technologies that have the potential for acceler-
ated commercialization; 
(2) supporting prior or current Foundation- 
sponsored investigators, institutions of higher edu-
cation, and nonprofit organizations that partner 
with an institution of higher education in under-
taking proof-of-concept work, including development 
of prototypes of technologies that are derived from 
Foundation-sponsored research and have potential 
market value; 
(3) promoting sustainable partnerships between 
Foundation-funded institutions, industry, and other 
organizations within academia and the private sector 
with the purpose of accelerating the transfer of tech-
nology; 
(4) developing multidisciplinary innovation eco-
systems which involve and are responsive to specific 
needs of academia and industry; and 
(5) providing professional development, men-
toring, and advice in entrepreneurship, project man-
agement, and technology and business development 
to innovators. 
(d) ELIGIBILITY.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The following organizations 
may be eligible for grants under this section: 
(A) Institutions of higher education. 
(B) Public or nonprofit technology transfer 
organizations. 
(C) A nonprofit organization that partners 
with an institution of higher education. 
(D) A consortia of two or more of the or-
ganizations described under subparagraphs (A) 
through (C). 
(2) LEAD ORGANIZATIONS.—Any eligible orga-
nization under paragraph (1) may apply as a lead 
organization. 
(e) APPLICATIONS.—An eligible entity seeking a 
grant under this section shall submit an application to the 
Director at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Director may require. 
SEC. 603. OPTICS AND PHOTONICS TECHNOLOGY INNOVA-
TIONS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) The 1998 National Research Council Re-
port, ‘‘Harnessing Light’’ presented a comprehensive 
overview on the importance of optics and photonics 
to various sectors of the United States economy. 
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(2) In 2012, in response to increased coordina-
tion and investment by other nations, the National 
Research Council released a follow up study recom-
mending a national photonics initiative to increase 
collaboration and coordination among United States 
industry, Federal and State government, and aca-
demia to identify and further advance areas of 
photonics critical to regaining United States com-
petitiveness and maintaining national security. 
(3) Publicly traded companies focused on optics 
and photonics in the United States enable more than 
$3 trillion in revenue annually. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) optics and photonics research and tech-
nologies promote United States global competitive-
ness in industry sectors, including telecommuni-
cations 
and 
information 
technology, 
energy, 
healthcare and medicine, manufacturing, and de-
fense; 
(2) Federal science agencies, industry, and aca-
demia should seek partnerships with each other to 
develop basic research in optics and photonics into 
more mature technologies and capabilities; and 
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