The Engine Behind The Builder Platform

As a nonprofit incubator and accelerator, The Engine equips early-stage Tough Tech teams with what they need to move forward: 220,000ft² of wet lab, engineering, and office space; founder-first programming; and a thriving ecosystem of investors, researchers, policymakers, and operators. Its programs — like Blueprint, which helps graduate students and postdocs explore the commercial potential of their research, and Whiteboard, which supports faculty in understanding the path from research to venture — are designed to make commercializing scientific breakthroughs less daunting and more actionable.

In 2023, the U.S. National Science Foundation awarded The Engine a $9.5 million contract to launch and operate the NSF Engines Builder Platform. Under the leadership of Executive Director Pat Grospiron, The Builder Platform was created to provide post-award support for the inaugural NSF Engines. This includes tailored resources, connective infrastructure, and a steady cadence of convenings, tools, and shared learning opportunities to help NSF Engine teams reach their goals.

The Builder Platform supports NSF Engines as they translate regional ambition into national impact. Our framework centers on six core pillars:

• Use-Inspired Research: R&D grounded in specific, real-world challenges identified by regional stakeholders.
• Translation + Commercialization: Acceleration of breakthrough ideas into scalable products and services through startups or corporate partnerships.
• Workforce Development: Talent pipelines that align with local industry needs, creating career pathways and upskilling opportunities.
• Capital + Technical Assistance: Access to early and growth-stage capital, corporate connections, and comprehensive mentorship.
• Infrastructure + Public Policy: Support for the systems, facilities, and enabling policies that make long-term innovation possible.
• Ecosystem Building + Cluster Organizing: Alignment of stakeholders across value chains to strengthen regional clusters and unlock collaborative momentum.

Threaded throughout each of these pillars is a commitment to Governance + Regional Engagement: helping NSF Engines build sustainable, distributed leadership structures that reflect their region’s identity, invite meaningful participation and enable long-term success.

As we close out our spotlight series, we’re energized by what’s ahead. The work you’re doing is ambitious and essential and we’re honored to help move it forward. Learn more about The Engine and The Builder Platform.

‍Want to hear more from the NSF Engines themselves?

As we close our spotlight series, you can keep exploring the work of nine NSF Engines in season seven of Ecosystems for Change. The first episode features Ben Downing, Emily Knight and Patricia Grospiron on how the Builder Platform came to life and how it supports place-based innovation across the country. Listen here: https://socialventurers.com/s07e01/