NSF invests $25.5 million to advance future of US manufacturing

The US National Science Foundation (NSF) is investing $25.5 million to support fundamental research and workforce development aimed at enabling future generations of US manufacturing. This year’s awards will fund seven large research grants and nine seed projects across 36 institutions and companies through the NSF Future Manufacturing (NSF FM) program.

The NSF FM program drives innovation in areas such as biomanufacturing, cyber manufacturing, and ecomanufacturing, while also exploring new frontiers like quantum manufacturing. By fostering convergence between disciplines, the program encourages teams to develop transformative manufacturing capabilities—moving well beyond incremental improvements to existing methods.

“The FM program targets critical technical gaps and lays the foundation for emerging sectors, including technologies that haven’t yet been imagined,” said Brian Stone, performing the duties of the NSF director. “NSF is investing in teams that bring together scientific, engineering and manufacturing expertise to equip the American workforce for leadership in advanced manufacturing.”

This year’s FM awards include:

• Seven research grants, each up to $3 million over four years, supporting multidisciplinary teams advancing new capabilities, materials, or systems. Projects range from bioengineering in resource-limited environments to “recyclofacturing” with artificial intelligence to transform metal scrap into new products, as well as robotics and digital twins for additive manufacturing of multi-material systems.
• Nine seed grants, each up to $500,000 over two years, supporting early-stage teams exploring novel approaches. Projects include photonic quantum manufacturing using DNA, self-learning tools for superconducting circuits, cyanobacteria-based low-energy cement, and new methods for domestic lithium extraction.

By funding efforts in areas such as quantum devices, biologically based production, semiconductor fabrication, and additive manufacturing, the FM program strengthens US leadership in science and technology while preparing a skilled workforce for the global economy.

Since its launch, NSF has invested over $163 million through the FM program, with this year’s awards bringing the total to 104 projects involving more than 475 principal investigators at 136 institutions and companies in 40 states and territories. Funding is provided across nearly all NSF directorates, reflecting the program’s interdisciplinary reach.