NSF Convergence Accelerator is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF Convergence Accelerator funds transdisciplinary teams of researchers, innovators, and other partners from academia, industry, non-profits, government, and other sectors.

The program supports co-designing and co-creating technology advances to solve societal and economic challenges, with teams completing an innovation curriculum to steer projects toward high-impact, societally focused deliverables.

Convergence Accelerator | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation View image credit & caption Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) NSF Convergence Accelerator announces expansion into Southwest Region NSF Convergence Accelerator announces solicitation to establish a Southeast Regional Anchor National-scale challenges cannot be solved by a single discipline.

Instead, these challenges require convergence: the merging of innovative ideas, approaches, and technologies from a wide range of sectors and expertise. Launched in 2019, the NSF Convergence Accelerator builds upon basic research and discovery to accelerate solutions toward real-world impact. The program funds teams to solve complex challenges through convergence research and innovation.

To enhance its impact, the Accelerator also places teams together in cohorts, synergizing their work through facilitated collaboration. While the overarching goal of the program is to strengthen the nation and American communities , results for each solution and the way a solution transitions to impact will vary. Examples include: Integration of a solution into existing systems.

Production of open-source tools and knowledge products. Expansion of a solution into new markets. Follow-on funding and investment.

A unique innovation program The Convergence Accelerator's unique program structure offers researchers and innovators the opportunity to accelerate their research toward tangible solutions that make a difference. Through an intense and hands-on journey, researchers gain skills and experiences that are applied during the program and throughout one's career.

The program is focused on a convergent research approach that: Is use-inspired and application-oriented. Is fed by basic research and discovery. Integrates teams from industry, academia, nonprofits, government and other communities of practice.

Offers intensive hands-on education and mentorship to participants. Multidisciplinary approach Funded teams are composed of diverse disciplines, expertise, and organizations. Teams merge ideas and share approaches and techniques to speed use-inspired solutions toward real-world application.

Teams have no size limits and are expected to evolve as a project advances. Funded projects are intentionally focused on sustainability and national-scale impact. At the end of the fixed three-year term, teams are expected to provide high-impact deliverables that address complex challenges and enhance the nation’s competitiveness and security.

Cross-cutting partnerships Catalyzed partnerships strengthen each funded effort by providing end-user insights, resources, services, infrastructure and transition-to-practice pathways. The innovation curriculum provides teams the tools to move from idea to proof of concept, to prototype and then solution. Researchers gain knowledge in human-centered design, team science, communication, and storytelling and pitching.

A "coopetition" environment stimulates innovative ideas. Funded teams compete and share expertise and resources to assist solutions in advancing to the next phase. Phase 2 teams collaborate on integration with other teams within their convergent research track — ensuring the track's focus is more impactful than each individually funded effort.

Engaging the Convergence Accelerator There are several opportunities for researchers, innovators, and business and technical practitioners from academia, industry, nonprofits, government and other organizations to engage with the Convergence Accelerator. Industry, nonprofit, government, and international collaborations are welcomed, but the collaborations must follow the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) .

Credit: National Science Foundation Submit an idea during the ideation process: Each year the program releases a Dear Colleague Letter, Request for Information, DCL/RFI, to gather ideas from the community at large. Promising ideas are selected by the Convergence Accelerator and further explored in funded workshops, described below.

Further an idea through a workshop: NSF funds workshops on promising ideas submitted during the ideation process. Workshops are held to further develop an idea, incorporating convergence research and various disciplines and expertise. NSF promotes the workshops to allow researchers and innovators to engage in workshop dialogues.

If an idea that you submitted during the ideation process is chosen by NSF, the program may ask you to lead the development of a workshop on that topic. Form a team and apply to a convergence research solicitation : Each year the program releases a solicitation funding opportunity featuring several convergent research topics selected from the program’s ideation process. Researchers and innovators are encouraged to apply.

The submitted project team must represent a mix of disciplines, expertise and organizations from academia, industry, nonprofits, government, and other communities of practice and sectors. Contribute to a currently funded solution: Cross-cutting partnerships are vital to the Convergence Accelerator and the funded teams.

Partners provide expertise, represent end users, provide resources, services and infrastructure, or support a transition or educational pathway. View currently funded teams at the Convergence Accelerator’s portfolio page or reach out to a program director to learn more. Be a reviewer: Provide your expertise to assist NSF in funding the best research ideas and solutions.

If you are interested in serving as a reviewer for future proposals or site visits, please fill out the Convergence Accelerator reviewer form . NSF Convergence Accelerator Pilot Phase II NSF Convergence Accelerator 2022 Joint NSF/DOD Phases 1 and 2 for Track G: Securely Operating Through 5G Infrastructure