NASA Ames Research Center Partnership with Founder Institute

NASA Ames Research Center recently executed a Non-Reimbursable Space Act Agreement (NRSAA) with the Founder Institute in Silicon Valley. The agreement provides opportunities for incoming cohorts in their new “Advanced Technologies Accelerator Program,” to license NASA Ames Intellectual Property. 

NASA Opportunities 

Ames is in a very unique position with the Founder Institute to increase its engagement with US companies for technology commercialization. Although the agreement is based at Ames, this partnership is Agency-wide and is similar in scope to NASA’s partnership with the New York Space Alliance.   

By collaborating with Founder Institute, NASA Ames is able to create relationship models and templates that will lead to both solidifying the Founder Institute relationship, as well as forging new opportunities for additional Silicon Valley partnerships – a bigger pipeline of license candidates for NASA. 

Agreement Description/Scope 

Through the “Advanced Technologies Accelerator Program,” aspiring entrepreneurs, seeking to build companies around NASA patented technologies, will have an advantage of additional support to evaluate, license and commercialize NASA technologies, thereby contributing to the commercial space industry. 

1. NASA will provide the Founder Institute with a list of NASA-patented technologies that present strong potential cases for commercialization as part of a dedicated track, the “Advanced Technologies Accelerator Program,” managed by the Founder Institute. 
2. NASA and Founder Institute will jointly decide which technologies will be selected for the incoming cohort. 
3. Upon the start of the 4-month program, NASA will provide access, as appropriate, to the technical experts associated with the selected technologies.  
4. The Founder Institute will work with the cohort to evaluate the feasibility of commercializing NASA technology, as part of their business plans and company formation.  
5. The Founder Institute will identify “pre-seed” ideas/companies that might be good candidates for licensing the evaluated NASA technologies.   

Key Benefits:

• Bigger pipeline of candidates for NASA technologies that can be transferred to the private sector through licensing agreements 
• Introduces NASA IP to the pre-seed companies before they are funded or incorporated 
• No funds exchanged, only shared resources: mentors, participation in talks, webinars and program sessions. 
• Connections to selected NASA software and technologies for licensing opportunities. 
• Mentorship opportunities from NASA technology subject matter experts as appropriate. 

The Founder Institute Advanced Technologies Accelerator Program will focus on providing support to founders who are working on Aerospace/Space, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Quantum Computing, Neuroscience, Autonomous Vehicles, Blockchain Technologies, Augmented/Virtual Reality, Genomics, Drones, Robotics and various other forms of Frontier Technologies. 

NASA-specific background 

NASA’s Goddard, Johnson, Kennedy and Langley have existing agreements (NASA iTech Initiative, FedTech, Cohort Competitions, and NASA Entrepreneurial Workforce Initiative/Boot Camp, SAA with Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) and Commercialization Training Camps for former NFL start-ups) for identical purposes. 

NRSAA Technical POC: Kimberly Minafra