Request for Information (RFI): Identifying the Next Generation of NSF X-Labs Topics

The National Science Foundation's Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships issued a Request for Information on September 16, 2026, seeking public input on scientific and technological opportunities for future NSF X-Labs Initiative topics, with responses due October 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. This RFI is for planning and information gathering only and does not constitute a solicitation, funding opportunity, or request for proposals; NSF will not award based on responses.

NSF seeks information on high-impact platform technology opportunities, critical technical bottlenecks, enabling infrastructure, potential partnerships, and conditions under which dedicated X-Labs teams could accelerate breakthroughs. The X-Labs Initiative supports independent, milestone-driven research organizations pursuing platform-technology breakthroughs difficult to achieve through conventional funding mechanisms. Three topics have already launched—Quantum Systems: Interconnects and Integrated Photonics, Scientific Instrumentation for Sensing and Imaging, and AI for Physical Systems—with two additional topics announced for future release.

NSF targets academia, industry, national laboratories, startups, venture capital, philanthropic organizations, nonprofits, professional societies, state and local governments, students, and the general public. Respondents should evaluate candidate topics against six key characteristics: multidisciplinary collaboration requirements, multi-year scope, experimental validation capability, foundational platform technology focus, suitability for the X-Labs mechanism, and concrete measurability of success. Responses must be submitted through an online Airtable portal or plain-text email template, limited to 1,300 characters per question. NSF intends to publish synthesis analyses and conduct regional and virtual "Visioneering" workshops to inform scoping of future X-Labs topics. Contact XLabs@nsf.gov.