Accelerating regional innovation clusters: a real-time research and learning agenda for NSF regional innovation engines

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded $850,000 under its Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) program (CFDA 47.084) to The Brookings Institution for a cooperative agreement effective October 1, 2025, through May 31, 2027. The Brookings Institution, in collaboration with Heartland Forward and the Builder Platform, will establish a real-time research and learning agenda to examine the NSF Regional Innovation Engines (Engines) program as a learning laboratory. The project will codify lessons, strategies, and replicable models that enhance innovation policy and practice by investigating how Engines drive technological innovation, national competitiveness and security, foster shared prosperity, and integrate talent, economic development, and governance systems across different regions.

Deliverables will include publications, case studies, strategic communication initiatives, and events designed to translate research findings into actionable insights for regional and national stakeholders and the broader community of practice within regional innovation ecosystems. No subawards are planned for this award. The project reflects the NSF's statutory mission to advance science and engineering research addressing national and societal challenges through breakthrough technologies and solutions, with emphasis on practical technology implementation and cross-sector collaboration.

Abstract

The national science foundation's (NSF) regional innovation engines (engines) program provides a transformative opportunity to build dynamic innovation ecosystems nationwide. Brookings metro, in collaboration with heartland forward and the builder platform, will use the engines program as a learning laboratory to codify lessons, strategies, and replicable models that enhance innovation policy and practice. Through publications, case studies, events, and strategic communication, the project will examine how engines drive technological innovation, national competitiveness and security, foster shared prosperity, and integrate talent, economic development, and governance systems within different regions. The initiative aims to provide actionable insights to regional and national stakeholders, as well as to the community of practice within regional innovation ecosystems. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.