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NSF Engineering Research Centers

NSF Engineering Research Centers. Quantum Energy and Sustainable Solar Technology. John Mitchell Industry Director. Largest US university funding source $7 billion annual budget 20% of all university funding Covers all fields of science and engineering – non medical.

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NSF Engineering Research Centers

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  1. NSF Engineering Research Centers Quantum Energy and Sustainable Solar Technology John Mitchell Industry Director

  2. Largest US university funding source • $7 billion annual budget • 20% of all university funding • Covers all fields of science and engineering – non medical National Science Foundation

  3. Engineering Research Centers “ERC” • Largest grant • Highly competitive – ~3% of proposals funded • 20 Centers in the country National Science Foundation

  4. Current ERCs

  5. Engineering Research Center “ERC” History Gen III, innovation, commercialization and international partnerships Gen I, single university remove disparities between academe, industry Gen II, multi universities focus on pre-college engineering students 1985 2008 1994

  6. Gen III Engineering Research Center • Multi university • 4 – 8 universities • Projects must be additive • Foci • Industry influenced research • Pre-college education • Innovation • Commercialization of ERC developed IP • Self sustained after 10 years

  7. What is QESST? NSF – Engineering Research Center The first-ever dual-funded ERC in the country (NSF and DoE) Ten year $37 million grant

  8. Help address the Terawatt Challenge Richard Smalley – 1996 Nobel Prize Winner “Find enough clean energy to raise the living standards of people around the globe” 1.5 Billion people in the dark (21%)

  9. Consortium of 8 universities

  10. International Partners

  11. Innovation Partners

  12. QESST Governance • Faculty and industry propose projects to be funded • Industry ranks projects to be funded • Center management allocates • takes into account rankings and Center’s mission

  13. Photovoltaic Value Chain QESST Research

  14. Integrated Research Knowledge Cross Fertilization

  15. Research foci Lead University Silicon Nanostructures Power conditioning Material defects Nitride growth Indium gallium nitride Optics III-V Nanowires photonics Thin film CIGS

  16. Key Components Education Research Industry Joint Proposals Students Engagement Faculty Partner Universities Innovation Workshops

  17. Industrial Membership Strategy Pure solar company Conglomerate Vertical integration Degree of diversification

  18. Industrial Membership Strategy Pure solar company Conglomerate Market makers Vertical integration Materials, equipment Market catalysts Targeted innovation Degree of diversification

  19. Industrial Membership Strategy Pure solar company Conglomerate Market makers Primary focus Secondary focus Targeted innovation Vertical integration Materials, equipment Market catalysts Degree of diversification

  20. Existing membership structure Pure solar company Conglomerate First Solar Soitec Sinton Instruments Hanwha Solar PV Specialists Veeco A.N.D National Instruments Accustrata Applied Materials Vertical integration Degree of diversification

  21. Membership structure pending Pure solar company Conglomerate Abengoa Accustrata Technic Los Alamos NL First Solar Soitec Sinton Instruments Hanwha Solar PV Specialists Veeco A.N.D National Instruments Applied Materials Vertical integration Degree of diversification

  22. Membership structure targets ~25 companies Pure solar company Conglomerate First Solar Soitec Sun Edison Sunpower SolarWorld SunRun Hanwha Solar Solar City Abengoa Vertical integration Hanergy PV Specialists Applied Materials GTAT Miasole Veeco Q-Cells A.N.D DuPont NI Global Solar Dow Corning Accustrata Suniva Sinton Instruments Degree of diversification

  23. Membership structure targets ~25 companies Pure solar company Conglomerate First Solar Soitec Sun Edison Sunpower SolarWorld SunRun Hanwha Solar Solar City Abengoa Co-locating with QESST and Soitec Vertical integration Hanergy PV Specialists Applied Materials GTAT Miasole Veeco Q-Cells A.N.D DuPont NI Global Solar Dow Corning Accustrata Suniva Sinton Instruments Degree of diversification

  24. Membership trends Reporting year

  25. Industry engagement pathways IP licensing Exclusivity or assignment Sponsored Research Level of engagement, rights Exclusivity QESST Membership Non exclusive IP rights Laboratory Access No IP implications Investment

  26. Industry engagement pathways Spin-outs SunShot proposal SECO proposals Joint SBIR/STTR proposals Quarterly grant writing workshops

  27. Industry engagement pathways Sponsored Research Soitec National Instruments Nth Degree Addventure Support Enterprises BAE Intel Qualcomm Ridgetop Space Micro Texas Instruments First Solar Number of companies requesting anonymity QESST Membership First Solar Amtech Soitec National Instruments Sinton Instruments Hanwha Solar Veeco PV Recyling Accustrata Applied Materials Applied Novel Devices PV Specialty Services Laboratory Access IPV Amtech Nth Degree Natcore Idalia Izar Solar (Epiworks) IQE Physical Optics Corporation SunPreme Prism Solar Scifiniti AGI

  28. Industry engagement pathways Installed on campus Sponsored Research Partner on grants QESST Member Laboratory Access Colocation

  29. Arizona State University 23 MW of installed solar Largest university installed base in country

  30. Industrial Membership Structure PhD and postdoc access Graduate student access Non-exclusive, royalty free commercial IP rights Resources Non-exclusive royalty free IP rights for research purposes Training workshops, webinars, seminars Access to faculty, students, university lab resources Access to pre-publications, presentations, annual report Affiliate General Partner

  31. Communication with Industry Members Bi-weekly webinars Semi-annual advisory board meetings Quarterly workshops Annual report Annual review Website news One-one direct communications (customized)

  32. Value Proposition - Industry Access faculty, student, industry peers, know-how Access to lab resources Investigate gaps in technology roadmaps

  33. Value Proposition - Industry Workforce development Longest interviewing process in the country Trained future scientists The cost for one bad hire $140,000 – Bad hire calculator ADP 80% of employers claim ERC graduates are more productive than peers due to their ERC experience – source: NSF

  34. Value Proposition - Industry Financial leverage NSF, DoE core funding Reduced F&A rates Use QESST research to position your company for other opportunities Access to the ASU library with thousands of journals and publications

  35. Value Proposition - Industry One straight forward agreement provides IP rights to all QESST universities

  36. QESST Gen III ERC Conclusion • Multi university • QESST has 7 university partners • Foci • 10 industry defined projects • 18 industry directed projects • Extensive pre-college outreach • Innovation ~15 patents filed • Three new companies formed • Self sustained after 10 years • ~ $2 million in external funding

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