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CAP Goal IconImprove Transfer of Federally-Funded Technologies from Lab-to-Market



Goal Leaders

Walter G. Copan, Ph.D.,
Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology,
Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce

Michael Kratsios,
Deputy Assistant to the President for Technology Policy, Office of Science and Technology Policy The White House


Goal Statement

PMG_red_target_iconThis goal will:   improve the transition of federally funded innovations from the laboratory to the marketplace by reducing the administrative and regulatory burdens for technology transfer and increasing private sector investment in later-stage R&D; develop and implement more effective partnering models and technology transfer mechanisms for Federal agencies; and enhance the effectiveness of technology transfer by improving the methods for evaluating the ROI and economic and national security impacts of federally funded R&D;, and using that information to focus efforts on approaches proven to work.

The Challenge

PMG_red_target_iconThe Federal Government invests approximately $150 billion annually1 in research and development (R&D;) conducted at Federal laboratories, universities, and other research organizations. For America to maintain its position as the leader in global innovation, bring products to market more quickly, grow the economy, and maintain a strong national security innovation base, it is essential to optimize technology transfer and support programs to increase the return on investment (ROI) from federally funded R&D.;

What Success Looks Like

PMG_red_target_iconAgencies will develop and implement stakeholder- informed action plans which may include improved Federal practices and policies, regulatory reform, and legislative proposals; increase interactions with private sector experts; identify, share, and adopt best practices for technology transfer; and increase the transfer of federally funded innovations from lab to market.

Goal Action Plans & Progress Updates

Action Plan Icon  December 2018

Action Plan Icon  September 2018

Action Plan Icon  June 2018

1Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2019, ch. 18. Available at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BUDGET-2019-PER/pdf/BUDGET-2019-PER.pdf.