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The partnership will help transform lab innovations into applied technologies for public good
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) is excited to announce a strategic partnership with nonprofit research institute RTI International, marking a significant step in advancing the transfer of federal laboratory research and technology to the marketplace. This collaboration establishes the FLC / RTI Entrepreneurial Education and Technology Exchange Collaborative (FREETEC), an incubator where students will conduct critical proof-of-concept experiments to advance federal lab technologies towards commercialization.
“The FLC is thrilled to build upon our partnership with RTI and further develop FLEX and CARES by providing greater opportunities for successful partnerships, which lead to new businesses and industries that will benefit society,” said FLC executive director Paul Zielinski. “This partnership creates a stronger pipeline for students to build businesses from licensable technologies.”
This collaboration builds upon an existing partnership with RTI Innovation Advisors, the innovation consultancy arm of RTI International, by leveraging and expanding the successful FLC Federal Lab Education Accelerator (FLEX) and RTI Center for Applied Research in Environmental Sciences (CARES) programs.
The FLC developed FLEX in 2021 to build long-term collaborations between federal labs and academic institutions by connecting entrepreneurial MBA students with technologies from the labs’ innovation portfolios. The students gain valuable real-world experience in advancing federal technologies toward commercialization, while labs benefit from their market assessments.
“Federal research laboratories are powerful engines of American innovation, and RTI has been a long-standing partner to help advance federally funded technologies to the commercial marketplace. To advance this further, RTI and the FLC are joining forces via FREETEC to provide entrepreneurial training and state-of-the-art technical upskilling to new and rising professionals in STEM fields, grounded with our innovation ecosystem expertise,” said Oswaldo Lozoya, a scientific computing principal investigator at RTI and a co-lead for FREETEC. “Through FREETEC, RTI will further shepherd and transform taxpayer-funded innovations into applied technologies for the public good.”
RTI established the CARES program with North Carolina Central University to address critical issues in environmental health and develop the next generation of leaders in health equity. The program trains aspiring university students in critical skills including environmental modeling, risk assessment and intervention.
This partnership will further leverage RTI’s expertise to develop opportunities for federally-funded technologies through mutually beneficial initiatives such as FREETEC, enabling research and training innovation development for federal labs and rising STEM professionals.
Learn more about FLC’s organizational partners
About the FLC
The Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) is a formally chartered, nationwide network of more than 300 federal laboratories, agencies and research centers that foster commercialization best practice strategies and opportunities for accelerating federal technologies out of the labs and into the marketplace. To learn more, visit www.federallabs.org.
About RTI International
RTI International is an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Clients rely on us to answer questions that demand an objective and multidisciplinary approach—one that integrates expertise across the social and laboratory sciences, engineering, and international development. We believe in the promise of science, and we are inspired every day to deliver on that promise for the good of people, communities, and businesses around the world. For more information, visit www.rti.org.
Media contact: Carolina Olivieri, FLC Marketing Director colivieri@federallabs.org
