Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) Stage Two winners. Forty-four accelerator partnerships received between $50,000 and $150,000 each to advance their work supporting small businesses and startups in STEM and research and development across priority areas like national and economic security, domestic manufacturing and production, and sustainability and biotechnology.

Artificial Intelligence is transforming research, education, manufacturing and everyday life. To prepare the next generation of talent for a diverse, well-trained AI workforce, the U.S. National Science Foundation directorates for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) and STEM Education launched the NSF EducateAI initiative. This program aims to make state-of-the-art, inclusive AI educational experiences available nationwide.

The U.S. National Science Foundation and Intel Corporation announced a $7.6 million investment in six projects to advance equitable STEM education and training opportunities that strengthen the nation's semiconductor workforce.

The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded $35 million through the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Research Incubators for STEM Excellence Research Infrastructure Improvement to boost research competitiveness, build partnerships across academic institutions and non-academic sectors and create workforce development opportunities.

The U.S. National Science Foundation announced a new partnership with Micron Technology, Inc., and GlobalFoundries to increase access to equitable education and develop the next generation of a diverse, semiconductor-ready science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workforce.

The U.S. National Science Foundation launched a $9.5 million research funding opportunity in partnership with BASF, Dow, IBM, PepsiCo Inc. and Procter & Gamble Co. Sustainable Polymers Enabled by Emerging Data Analytics is part of NSF's Molecular Foundations for Sustainability program and seeks to accelerate the discovery and manufacture of superior and sustainable polymers to enhance national competitiveness and tackle global challenges such as plastic waste.

The U.S. National Science Foundation announced the first Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) investment of $18.8 million to 27 teams at U.S. institutions of higher education. The ExLENT program aims to expand practical learning opportunities for individuals interested in entering or gaining more experience in key technologies, such as advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum information science and semiconductors and microelectronics.

The U. S. National Science Foundation announced a $120 million investment over five-year to support four new Science and Technology Centers (STCs). Since program inception in 1987, the STC: Integrative Partnerships program has supported exceptionally innovative, complex research and education projects that have opened up new areas of science and engineering and developed breakthrough technologies.