NSF X-LABS INITIATIVE | NSF-OTASO-FY26-XLabsInitiative
Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).
Executive Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) is launching the NSF X-Labs initiative to fund ambitious, full-time R&D teams developing sector-defining platform technologies that could reshape entire scientific fields or technology industries.
Unlike traditional grants, NSF X-Labs will support operationally independent organizations with milestone-based funding, long-term support potential, and significant autonomy over staffing, partnerships, IP, and research direction. The program is specifically designed for high-risk, high-reward platform technologies that existing university labs, startups, and corporate R&D groups are not structured to pursue.
NSF anticipates awarding up to $1.5M for Phase 0 and up to $50M per year for Phase 1 teams. Only the most promising teams will advance between phases.
This opportunity is best suited for elite technical teams capable of building an independent research organization around a clearly defined mission with the potential to unlock entirely new scientific or technology sectors.
How much funding would I receive?
NSF anticipates awarding:
Phase 0: no more than $1,500,000 per team
Phase 1: no more than $50,000,000 per year per team
Additional Phase 2 or Phase 3 funding may be considered based on team performance and availability of funds. Specific funding levels for later phases are not specified.
Funding will be milestone-based, with payments tied to successful completion of NSF-approved deliverables and milestones.
What could I use the funding for?
Funding is intended to support:
Full-time R&D teams
Development of novel platform technologies
Use-inspired scientific breakthroughs
Early-stage prototypes
Organizational buildout and operational infrastructure
Technical milestone execution
Team scaling and recruitment
Partnership development
IP management and commercialization strategy
Research security management
Governance and operational autonomy development
Examples of platform technologies referenced in the solicitation include:
Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI)
The Internet
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
Brain-computing interfaces
Next-generation sequencing
AI models for protein structure prediction
Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
The solicitation specifically states that the following are not within scope:
Incremental technology improvements
Projects with substantial existing venture capital or industry investment
General advancement of multiple research areas without a focused mission
Testbeds or data centers as the primary focus
Projects where the only barriers are non-technical
Published Topics:
Quantum Systems: Interconnects and Integrated Photonics - NSF-Topic1-FY26-XLabsQuantumSystems
Summary: NSF is seeking full-time X-Labs teams developing foundational platform technologies for next-generation quantum systems, specifically quantum interconnects, integrated quantum photonics, and supporting technologies that could enable scalable, connected, second-generation quantum computing and quantum information systems. The focus is on transformative technologies that solve major technical bottlenecks in quantum architectures and create broadly deployable platform capabilities for future industry adoption.
Written Proposal Deadline: July 24, 2026; 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Oral Presentations: August 31 – September 4, 2026
Phase 0 Start: December 2026
Unique Technical Focus Areas:
Quantum interconnects transferring coherence and entanglement between subsystems
Integrated quantum photonics
Quantum transducers
Reconfigurable quantum photonic circuits
Quantum light sources
Low-loss waveguides
Integrated single-photon detectors
Examples of In-Scope Challenges:
Scalable modular quantum architectures
Interconnection of heterogeneous quantum subsystems
Compact multi-qubit photonic operations
System-level integration technologies for future quantum systems
Examples Specifically Considered Out of Scope:
Pure software or computational approaches without integration into physical quantum systems
Technologies unsuitable for future scaling or commercialization
Incremental state-of-the-art improvements
Technologies already mature enough for full-scale commercialization
Additional Unique Restriction: Lead organizations may submit a maximum of two Written Proposals under this Topic Announcement, and Senior/Key Personnel may only appear on one proposal for this topic.
Scientific Instrumentation for Sensing and Imaging - NSF-Topic2-FY26-XLabsSensingandImaging
Summary: NSF is seeking X-Labs teams developing transformative sensing and imaging platform technologies capable of enabling fundamentally new scientific measurement and observation capabilities. The topic focuses on breakthrough instrumentation systems that overcome major technical limitations in sensing, imaging, microscopy, and detection, particularly where entirely new modalities or AI-enabled instrumentation approaches could unlock new scientific fields or dramatically expand research capabilities.
Written Proposal Deadline: July 13, 2026; 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Oral Presentations: August 17 – August 21, 2026
Phase 0 Start: November 2026
Unique Technical Focus Areas:
Quantum sensing
AI-driven computational imaging
Adaptive AI-based sensing algorithms
Entirely new sensing and imaging modalities
Scientific instrumentation platforms
Examples of In-Scope Challenges:
Molecular-scale single-reaction event detection
MRI-free deep tissue imaging
Non-destructive biomolecule microscopy
High-sensitivity quantum sensors
Instruments designed for next-generation AI training pipelines
Whole-brain activity sensing at cellular resolution across long timescales
Examples Specifically Considered Out of Scope:
Pure software or computational approaches without integration into instrumentation systems
Narrow-use technologies without broad deployability
Fundamental research lacking platform technology applications
Incremental improvements to existing systems
Technologies already mature enough for full-scale commercialization
Additional Unique Restriction: Lead organizations may submit a maximum of two Written Proposals under this Topic Announcement, and Senior/Key Personnel may only appear on one proposal for this topic.
Are there any additional benefits I would receive?
In addition to funding, selected teams may receive:
Multi-year support potential through Phase 2 and possibly Phase 3
Operational autonomy uncommon in traditional grants
Flexibility to renegotiate milestones as technology landscapes evolve
Ability to engage across academia, industry, nonprofits, philanthropy, and national laboratories
Support for building entirely new organizational structures
Potential acceleration toward commercialization and ecosystem growth
NSF also emphasizes that teams may evolve organizationally over time, including changing lead organizations during Phase 0 or Phase 1.
What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?
Program structure includes:
Phase 0: approximately 9–12 months
Phase 1: approximately 24–36 months
Phase 2: variable duration
Possible Phase 3 support in certain cases
The process includes:
Submission of an 8-page Written Proposal
NSF down-selection
Invitation-only Oral Proposal Package and oral presentation
Negotiation of milestone plans and budgets
Phase 0 award issuance
Go/No Go evaluation for advancement into Phase 1
Oral Proposal Packages will be due approximately 5 business days prior to scheduled oral presentations. Senior/Key Personnel disclosures are due approximately 48 hours after oral presentation invitations are issued.
Where does this funding come from?
The funding comes from the:
U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)
Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP)
Awards will be issued using NSF’s Other Transaction Authority under 42 U.S.C. § 19116.
Who is eligible to apply?
Any domestic responsible entity may submit a proposal for Phase 0 consideration.
Key eligibility requirements include:
Lead organization must be registered in SAM.gov
Awards will be made to one lead organization per NSF X-Labs team
Teams must demonstrate operational autonomy and independence
Senior/Key Personnel may only appear on one proposal per Topic Announcement
Senior/Key Personnel and/or core leadership must be dedicated full-time by the beginning of Phase 1 unless otherwise approved by NSF
The solicitation places heavy emphasis on organizational independence, including:
Independent leadership structure
Internal control over funding allocation
Internal control over research direction
Independent IP ownership and licensing control
Independent hiring authority
Independent governance boards
The following are prohibited from participation:
Foreign entities of concern
Certain foreign nationals
Parties associated with malign foreign talent recruitment programs
Organizations or individuals appearing on specified federal restricted entity lists
What companies and projects are likely to win?
The strongest teams are likely to demonstrate:
A clearly defined mission capable of reshaping an entire scientific field or technology sector
A novel platform technology with transformative downstream potential
Significant technical ambition
Full-time dedicated leadership
Strong interdisciplinary expertise
Ability to operate independently from traditional institutional constraints
Clear milestones and measurable outcomes
Strong commercialization and ecosystem growth potential
Novel organizational structures and partnerships across industry, academia, government, and philanthropy
NSF states it will evaluate teams based on:
Team qualifications and structure
Mission clarity and outcomes
The solicitation repeatedly emphasizes that this program is not intended for incremental R&D efforts.
Are there any restrictions I should know about?
Yes. Key restrictions include:
Projects must align with a current NSF X-Labs Topic Announcement
Teams must operate within the United States
Funding is milestone-based
NSF may terminate advancement at Go/No Go reviews
Teams must comply with extensive research security requirements
Certain foreign entities and individuals are prohibited
Parent institutions cannot retain control over funding, IP, hiring, or research direction for Phase 1 teams
Written Proposals are limited to 8 single-sided pages
Oral Proposal stage participants must fully restate all technical and programmatic details because NSF will not rely on the Written Proposal during oral-stage evaluation
The solicitation also requires:
Data Management and Privacy Plan
IP Management Plan
Research Security Management Plan
Governance Structure Plan
Conflict of Interest disclosures
How long will it take me to prepare an application?
This will likely require a substantial preparation effort due to:
Complex organizational structure requirements
Milestone-based budgeting
Multi-phase planning
Governance design
Research security compliance
IP strategy development
Team assembly and commitment requirements
Oral presentation preparation
The Written Proposal itself is limited to 8 pages, but competitive submissions will require significant strategic and operational planning before submission.
How can BW&CO help?
BW&CO can support companies and teams with:
Opportunity qualification and fit assessment
Mission positioning and narrative development
NSF X-Labs strategy development
Technical and commercialization storytelling
Milestone architecture and roadmap development
Proposal drafting and editing
Governance and autonomy positioning
Oral presentation preparation
Budget strategy
Research security and compliance coordination
Team structuring and partnership positioning
