The Advanced Technology Program (ATP) bridges the gap between the research lab and the market place, stimulating prosperity through innovation. Through partnerships with the private sector, ATP's early stage investment is accelerating the development of innovative technologies that promise significant commercial payoffs and widespread benefits for the nation. As part of the highly regarded National Institute of Standards and Technology, the ATP is changing the way industry approaches R&D, providing a mechanism for industry to extend its technological reach and push out the envelope of what can be attempted.
Technology research in the private sector is driven by today's global economic realities. The pace of technological change is faster than ever before, and victory goes to the swift. These realities force companies to make narrower, shorter-term investments in R&D that maximize returns to the company quickly. The ATP views R&D projects from a broader perspective-its bottom line is how the project can benefit the nation. In sharing the relatively high technical risks, high payoff projects that potentially make feasible a broad range of new commercial opportunities, the ATP fosters projects with a high payoff for the nation as a whole-in addition to a direct return to the innovators. The ATP has several critical features that set it apart from other government R&D programs and enhance its support for industry.
ATP is interested in accelerating tomorrow's information technology systems and applications for broad national benefit through partnerships with the private sector. Electronic commerce (interoperability, infrastructure, security, e-payment), and biometrics and security systems are included in ATP's list of current interests. Since 1990 the ATP has selected a portfolio of more than 580 projects, representing a total investment of $1.8B from the ATP, matched by $1.8B from industry.
Contact:
Dr. Omid M. Omidvar
NIST, Advanced Technology Program
Telephone: (301) 975-4401
Email: omid.omidvar@nist.gov
Web:
NIST: http://www.nist.gov
ATP: http://www.atp.nist.gov