On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass

Innovators to Entrepreneurs Act of 2019

This bill expands eligibility for the Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program and requires development of an I-Corps course to support commercialization-ready participants.

(Sec. 3) The bill requires the National Science Foundation (NSF) to allow grantees of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and other entities to participate in I-Corps courses. The cost of participation by such a grantee in a course may be furnished

• through I-Corps Teams grants,
• through funds awarded to grantees under the SBIR Program or the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program,
• by the grantor federal agency using funds set aside for the SBIR and STTR Programs, or
• by the participating teams.

(Sec. 4) The NSF shall develop an I-Corps course, to be offered by I-Corps regional nodes, to support commercialization-ready participants. The course shall support participants that have completed an I-Corps course and participants that have made the decision to market an innovation.

(Sec. 5) The Government Accountability Office shall report on the I-Corps Program, including by assessing the effects of the I-Corps on the commercialization of federally funded research and development, the higher education system, regional economies, and the national economy.