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SEC. 305. SUPPORT FOR POTENTIALLY TRANSFORMATIVE 
RESEARCH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall establish and 
periodically update grant solicitation, merit review, and 
funding policies and mechanisms designed to identify and 
provide support for high-risk, high-reward basic research 
proposals. 
(b) POLICIES AND MECHANISMS.—Such policies and 
mechanisms may include— 
(1) development of solicitations specifically for 
high-risk, high-reward basic research; 
(2) establishment of review panels for the pri-
mary purpose of selecting high-risk, high-reward 
proposals; 
(3) development of guidance to standard review 
panels to encourage the identification and consider-
ation of high-risk, high-reward proposals; and 
(4) support for workshops and other con-
ferences with the primary purpose of identifying new 
opportunities for high-risk, high-reward basic re-
search, especially at interdisciplinary interfaces. 
(c) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the 
term ‘‘high-risk, high-reward basic research’’ means re-
search driven by ideas that have the potential to radically 
change our understanding of an important existing sci-
entific or engineering concept, or leading to the creation 
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of a new paradigm or field of science or engineering, and 
that is characterized by its challenge to current under-
standing or its pathway to new frontiers. 
SEC. 306. STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH 
PARTNERSHIPS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—For any Foundation research 
grant, in an amount greater than $5,000,000, to be car-
ried out through a partnership that includes one or more 
minority-serving institutions or predominantly under-
graduate institutions and one or more institutions de-
scribed in subsection (b), the Director shall award funds 
directly, according to the budget justification described in 
the grant proposal, to at least two of the institutions of 
higher education in the partnership, including at least one 
minority-serving institution or one predominantly under-
graduate institution, to ensure a strong and equitable 
partnership. 
(b) INSTITUTIONS.—The institutions referred to in 
subsection (a) are institutions of higher education that are 
among the 100 institutions receiving, over the 3-year pe-
riod immediately preceding the awarding of grants, the 
highest amount of research funding from the Foundation. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Director shall provide a re-
port to Congress on institutional research partnerships 
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identified in subsection (a) funded in the 2 previous fiscal 
years and make any recommendations for how such part-
nerships can continue to be strengthened. 
SEC. 307. INNOVATION CORPS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the National Science Foundation’s Innova-
tion Corps (I–Corps) was established to foster a na-
tional innovation ecosystem by encouraging institu-
tions, scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs to 
identify and explore the innovation and commercial 
potential of Foundation-funded research well beyond 
the laboratory; 
(2) the Foundation’s I–Corps includes invest-
ments in entrepreneurship and commercialization 
education, training, and mentoring, ultimately lead-
ing to the practical deployment of technologies, 
products, processes, and services that improve the 
Nation’s competitiveness, promote economic growth, 
and benefit society; and 
(3) by building networks of entrepreneurs, edu-
cators, mentors, institutions, and collaborations, and 
supporting specialized education and training, I– 
Corps is at the leading edge of a strong, lasting 
foundation for an American innovation ecosystem. 
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(b) PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall carry out 
a program to award grants for entrepreneurship and 
commercialization education to Foundation-funded 
researchers to increase the economic and social im-
pact of federally funded research. 
(2) PURPOSES.—The purpose of the program 
shall be to increase the capacity of STEM research-
ers and students to successfully engage in entrepre-
neurial activities and to help transition the results of 
federally funded research into the marketplace by— 
(A) identifying STEM research that can 
lead to the practical deployment of technologies, 
products, processes, and services that improve 
the Nation’s economic competitiveness; 
(B) bringing STEM researchers and stu-
dents together with entrepreneurs, venture cap-
italists, and other industry representatives expe-
rienced in commercialization of new tech-
nologies; 
(C) supporting entrepreneurship and com-
mercialization education and training for fac-
ulty, students, postdoctoral fellows, and other 
STEM researchers; and 
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