#aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #eci ,,an ,,act ,to require the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation to develop an ,i-,corps course to support commercialization-ready innovation companies1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,innovators to ,entrepreneurs ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,national ,science ,foundation ,innovation ,corps ,program 7hereinafter referred to as ,i-,corps71 created administratively by the ,foundation in #bjaa and statutorily authorized in the ,american ,innovation and ,competitiveness ,act1 has succeeded in increasing the commercialization of ,government-funded research4 7#b7 ,i-,corps provides valuable entrepreneurial education to graduate students1 postdoctoral fellows1 and other researchers1 providing formal training for scientists and engineers to pursue careers in business1 an increasingly common path for advanced degree holders4 7#c7 ,the ,i-,corps ,teams program is successful in part due to its focus on providing the specific types of education and mentoring entrepreneurs need based on the early stage of their companies1 however the program does not provide similar support to them at later stages4 7#d7 ,the success of ,i-,corps in the very early stages of the innovation continuum should be expanded upon by offering additional entrepreneurship training to small businesses as they advance toward commercialization4 7#e7 ,the excellent training made available to grantees of participating agencies through the ,i-,corps ,program should be made available to all ,federal grantees as well as other businesses willing to pay the cost of attending such training4 7#f7 ,the success of the ,i-,corps ,program at promoting entrepreneurship within research institutions and encouraging research commercialization has been due in part to the ,national ,science ,foundation's efforts to date on building a national network of science entrepreneurs1 including convening stakeholders1 promoting national ,i-,corps courses1 cataloguing best practices and encourage sharing between sites and institutions1 and developing a mentor network4 7#g7 ,as the ,i-,corps ,program continues to grow and expand1 the ,national ,science ,foundation should maintain its focus on networking and information sharing to ensure that innovators across the country can learn from their peers and remain competitive4 #c4 ,expanded participation in ,i-,corps ,section #fja7;c77#b7 of the ,american ,innovation and ,competitiveness ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbs-#h7;c77#b77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7,c7 ,additional participants 7i7 ,eligibility ,the ,director1 in consultation with relevant stakeholders1 as determined by the ,director1 which may include ,federal agencies1 ,i-,corps regional nodes1 universities1 and public and private entities engaged in technology transfer or commercialization of technologies1 shall provide an option for participation in an ,i-,corps ,teams course by-- 7,i7 ,small ,business ,innovation ,research ,program grantees2 and 7,,ii7 other entities1 as determined appropriate by the ,director4 7ii7 ,cost of participation ,the cost of participation by a ,small ,business ,innovation ,research ,program grantee in such course may be provided-- 7,i7 through ,i-,corps ,teams grants2 7,,ii7 through funds awarded to grantees under the ,small ,business ,innovation ,research ,program or the ,small ,business ,technology ,transfer ,program2 7,,iii7 by the grantor ,federal agency of the grantee using funds set aside for the ,small ,business ,innovation ,research ,program under section #i7;f77#a7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fch7;f77#a772 7,,iv7 by the grantor ,federal agency of the grantee using funds set aside for the ,small ,business ,technology ,transfer ,program under section #i7n77#a7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fch7n77#a772 or 7,v7 by the participating teams4 4 #d4 ,i-,corps course for commercialization-ready participants 7a7 ,in general ,in carrying out the ,i-,corps program described in section #fja7;c7 of the ,american ,innovation and ,competitiveness ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbs-#h7;c771 the ,director shall develop an ,i-,corps course offered by ,i-,corps regional nodes to support commercialization-ready participants4 ,such course shall include skills such as attracting investors1 scaling up a company1 and building a brand4 7b7 ,engagement with relevant stakeholders ,in developing the course under subsection 7a71 the ,director may consult with the heads of such ,federal agencies1 universities1 and public and private entities as the ,director determines to be appropriate4 7c7 ,eligible participants ,the course developed under subsection 7a7 shall-- 7#a7 support participants that have completed an ,i-,corps ,teams course2 7#b7 support participants that have made the decision to take an innovation to market4 #e4 ,report ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to ,congress a report containing an evaluation of the ,i-,corps program described in section #fja7;c7 of the ,american ,innovation and ,competitiveness ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbs-#h7;c774 ,such evaluation shall include an assessment of the effects of ,i-,corps on-- 7#a7 the commercialization of ,federally funded research and development2 7#b7 the higher education system2 and 7#c7 regional economies and the national economy4 #f4 ,funding 7a7 ,in general ,out of amounts otherwise authorized for the ,national ,science ,foundation1 there is authorized to be appropriated a total of #e1jjj1jjj for fiscal years #bjbj and #bjba to carry out the activities described in section #d and the amendment made by section #c4 7b7 ,limitation ,no additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this ,act and the amendments made by this ,act1 and this ,act and such amendments shall be carried out using amounts otherwise available for such purpose4 ,passed the ,house of ,representatives ,february #be1 #bjai4;,clerk4