Leveraging our National Laboratories to Develop Tomorrow’s Technology Leaders Act of 2022
Bill: S.4084 | Sponsor: Sen. Lujan, Ben Ray (D-NM)
Policy area: Commerce

Summary:
Leveraging our National Laboratories to Develop Tomorrow's Technology Leaders Act of 2022
This bill requires the Department of Energy to award grants to maintain a lab-embedded entrepreneurship program that provides entrepreneurial fellows with access to National Laboratory research facilities, expertise, and mentorship.

To support the lab-embedded entrepreneurship program under the 
             Department of Energy, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Leveraging our National Laboratories 
to Develop Tomorrow's Technology Leaders Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. LAB-EMBEDDED ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered program.--The term ``covered program'' means a 
        program described in subsection (c).
            (2) Eligible entity.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``eligible entity'' 
                means--
                            (i) a National Laboratory; and
                            (ii) an entity described in subparagraph 
                        (B) in partnership with a National Laboratory.
                    (B) Entity described.--An entity referred to in 
                subparagraph (A)(ii) is--
                            (i) a nonprofit organization;
                            (ii) an institution of higher education; 
                        and
                            (iii) any other entity that the Secretary 
                        determines appropriate.
            (3) Entrepreneurial fellow.--The term ``entrepreneurial 
        fellow'' means an individual participating in a covered 
        program.
            (4) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory'' 
        has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy 
        Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
            (5) Program.--The term ``program'' means the Lab-Embedded 
        Entrepreneurship Program authorized under subsection (b).
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.
    (b) Program.--The Secretary shall establish a program, to be known 
as the ``Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program'', under which the 
Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities for the purpose of 
establishing or maintaining a covered program.
    (c) Covered Programs.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under 
the program shall use the grant funds to establish or maintain a lab-
embedded entrepreneurship program to provide entrepreneurial fellows 
with access to National Laboratory research facilities, expertise, and 
mentorship--
            (1) to perform research and development; and
            (2) to gain expertise that may be required or beneficial 
        for the commercial application of research ideas.
    (d) Entrepreneurial Fellows.--
            (1) In general.--In participating in a covered program, an 
        entrepreneurial fellow shall be provided by an eligible entity 
        with--
                    (A) opportunities for entrepreneurial training, 
                professional development, and exposure to leaders from 
                academia, industry, government, and finance, who may 
                serve as advisors to or partners of an entrepreneurial 
                fellow;
                    (B) financial and technical support for research, 
                development, and commercial application activities;
                    (C) fellowship awards to cover costs of living, 
                health insurance, and travel stipends for the duration 
                of the fellowship;
                    (D) market and customer discovery opportunities;
                    (E) engagement with external stakeholders; and
                    (F) any other resources determined appropriate by 
                the Secretary.
            (2) Priority.--In carrying out a covered program, an 
        eligible entity shall give priority to supporting 
        entrepreneurial fellows with respect to professional 
        development and development of a relevant technology.
            (3) Intellectual property.--In participating in a covered 
        program, an entrepreneurial fellow shall retain all rights 
        relating to intellectual property developed by the 
        entrepreneurial fellow through activities carried out under the 
        covered program.
    (e) Partnerships.--An eligible entity described in subparagraph 
(A)(i) of subsection (a)(2) that receives a grant under the program may 
carry out a covered program in partnership with 1 or more entities 
described in subparagraph (B) of that subsection.
    (f) Metrics.--The Secretary shall develop metrics to assess the 
effectiveness of each covered program in achieving the purposes of the 
program.
    (g) Coordination; Interagency Collaboration.--The Secretary shall--
            (1) oversee the planning and coordination of grants awarded 
        under the program; and
            (2) collaborate with other Federal agencies, including the 
        Department of Defense, regarding opportunities for Federal 
        agencies to partner with covered programs.
    (h) Best Practices.--The Secretary shall identify and disseminate 
to eligible entities best practices for achieving the purposes of the 
program.
    (i) Assessments; Reports.--Not later than 4 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than biennially 
thereafter, the Secretary shall--
            (1) conduct an assessment of each covered program based on 
        the metrics developed under subsection (f); and
            (2) submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 
        of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and 
        Technology of the House of Representatives a report summarizing 
        the findings of those assessments.
    (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $25,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027.
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