# National Science Foundation: portfolio, investments and team

> National Science Foundation is a government based in United States. 1,869 investments on record, 164 in the last 12 months, latest Sept 2026.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/fund/nsf-small-business-innovation-research-small-business-techno (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

United States · [Investor](https://millionrounds.com/investors)

# National Science Foundation

Last cheque observed Sep 2026; 1869 cheques on record.

Deploying now Government

Pre-seed Seed Series A Semiconductor New Materials Nanotechnology

Deploying now

**68%** of best year **164** **cheques in 12 months**, 1,869 on record

Since the last cheque **55** days **00** hrs **00** min **00** sec

Median round **$926K** Rounds led **0 of 1,869** Sole investor **866 rounds** Exits **6 from the portfolio** Mostly in **United States, 100%**

Pitch National Science Foundation

## National Science Foundation highlights

- 01 164 cheques in the last 12 months
- 02 Mostly Grant and Venture: 80% of its rounds
- 03 Sole investor in 866 rounds, median $599K
- 04 6 exits from the portfolio

## What they do

> NSF is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories. From their own website

- **Type:** Government
- **Cheque size:** Not stated
- **Stages:** Pre-seed Seed Series A Series B
- **Sectors:** Semiconductor New Materials Nanotechnology
- **Based in:** Alexandria, United States
- **Cold pitches:** Not stated

## The record

Every round we can evidence, newest first **1,869 appearances**

- **2026** 128 rounds
- **Sept** **[Beamlink](https://millionrounds.com/company/beamlink)** Venture · US **$2.3M** Sole investor
- **Sept** **[Spearhead Bio](https://millionrounds.com/company/spearhead-bio)** Seed · US · AgFunderNews **$1.6M** With 6 others
- **Sept** **[Partillion Bioscience](https://millionrounds.com/company/partillion-bioscience)** Grant · US **$2.1M** With 3 others
- **Sept** **[Talus Bio](https://millionrounds.com/company/talus-bio)** Seed · US **$11M** With 4 others
- **Sept** **[Informuta](https://millionrounds.com/company/informuta)** Grant · US **$1.3M** Sole investor
- **Sept** **[NLM Photonics](https://millionrounds.com/company/nlm-photonics)** Venture · US **Undisclosed** With 3 others
- **Sept** **[Tempo Therapeutics](https://millionrounds.com/company/tempo-therapeutics)** Grant · US **$2.3M** Sole investor
- **Sept** **[Celadyne Technologies](https://millionrounds.com/company/celadyne-technologies)** Grant · US **$250K** With 2 others
- **Sept** **[InformAI](https://millionrounds.com/company/informai)** Grant · US **$1.0M** With 3 others
- **Sept** **[Ramona](https://millionrounds.com/company/ramona)** Series A · US **$25M** With 2 others
- **Sept** **[Zymochem](https://millionrounds.com/company/zymochem)** Grant · US **$4.0M** With 2 others
- **Sept** **[MALCOVA](https://millionrounds.com/company/malcova)** Seed · US **$1.2M** With 1 other
- **Sept** **[Reselute](https://millionrounds.com/company/reselute)** Grant · US **$75K** With 1 other
- **Sept** **[Atlantic Fish Company](https://millionrounds.com/company/atlantic-fish-company)** Grant · US **$75K** With 2 others
- **Sept** **[Interlune](https://millionrounds.com/company/interlune)** Seed · US **$5.0M** With 4 others
- **Sept** **[Provivi](https://millionrounds.com/company/provivi)** Debt · US **$2.5M** With 2 others
- **Sept** **[Capienda Biotech](https://millionrounds.com/company/capienda-biotech)** Grant · US **$1.4M** With 1 other
- **Sept** **[Vibronix](https://millionrounds.com/company/vibronix)** Series B · US **$15M** With 2 others
- **Sept** **[Roboligent](https://millionrounds.com/company/roboligent)** Seed · US **$2.5M** With 2 others
- **Sept** **[Marel Power Solutions](https://millionrounds.com/company/marel-power-solutions)** Grant · US **$1.9M** With 2 others
- **Sept** **[Winter Innovations](https://millionrounds.com/company/winter-innovations)** Venture · US **$1.3M** Sole investor
- **Sept** **[Primrose Bio](https://millionrounds.com/company/primrose-bio)** Venture · US **$2.0M** Sole investor
- **Aug** **[Quintessent](https://millionrounds.com/company/quintessent)** Series A · US · Ventureburn **$40M** With 12 others
- **Aug** **[Princeton Critical Minerals](https://millionrounds.com/company/princeton-critical-minerals)** Series A · US · HAX **$16M** With 3 others
- **Aug** **[Princeton Critical Minerals](https://millionrounds.com/company/princeton-critical-minerals)** Grant **$5.0M** With 2 others
- **Aug** **[Tandem PV](https://millionrounds.com/company/tandem-pv)** Grant · US **$7.7M** With 2 others
- **Aug** **[DexMat](https://millionrounds.com/company/dexmat)** Venture · US **$1.0M** With 2 others
- **Aug** **[Astek Diagnostics](https://millionrounds.com/company/astek-diagnostics)** Seed · US **$750K** With 2 others
- **Aug** **[Beken Bio](https://millionrounds.com/company/beken-bio)** Grant · US **$1.3M** Sole investor
- **Aug** **[Nth Cycle](https://millionrounds.com/company/nth-cycle)** Grant · US **$100M** With 3 others
- **Jul** **[Sila](https://millionrounds.com/company/sila)** Growth · US · TechCrunch **$300M** With 7 others
- **Jul** **[Carbice Corporation](https://millionrounds.com/company/carbice-corporation)** Venture · US **Undisclosed** With 2 others
- **Jul** **[NALA Membranes](https://millionrounds.com/company/nala-membranes)** Growth · US **$11M** With 2 others
- **Jul** **[XL Batteries](https://millionrounds.com/company/xl-batteries)** Venture · US **$13M** With 1 other
- **Jul** **[CoreMap](https://millionrounds.com/company/coremap)** Series C · US **$37M** Sole investor
- **Jul** **[EELI Technology](https://millionrounds.com/company/eeli-technology)** Pre-seed · US **$2.0M** With 3 others
- **Jul** **[Sharper Sense](https://millionrounds.com/company/sharper-sense)** Grant · US **$100K** With 3 others
- **Jul** **[CleanFiber](https://millionrounds.com/company/cleanfiber)** US **$4.5M** With 2 others
- **Jul** **[Infinite Cooling](https://millionrounds.com/company/infinite-cooling)** Venture · US **$5.3M** With 2 others
- **Jul** **[Spero Therapeutics](https://millionrounds.com/company/spero-therapeutics)** Debt · US · HealthCare Royalty **$105M** With 3 others

An announcement gives the size of the round, not the size of this investor's cheque: the only rounds that imply a cheque are those where they were the sole named investor.

## The team

We hold **12** people at this firm from the lists this database was built from: a weaker source than the filings, since a list does not say when a title ended. Login to see them.

## What they claim to have backed

From their own portfolio page (on their website)

**0** of 6 we have independently watched raise

Grants.gov Inspector General NSF Public Access Repository Ncses Research.gov USA.gov

Weaker than a round we watched, stronger than a list somebody sold us. A firm is far less willing to put a company on its own site that it never funded.

## Exits from the portfolio

Companies it backed that were later bought or listed **6 in all**

**[Nimble VR](https://millionrounds.com/company/nimble-vr)** Bought by Oculus VR **Undisclosed** Dec 2014

**[Sifteo](https://millionrounds.com/company/sifteo)** Bought by 3D Robotics **Undisclosed** Jul 2014

**[TagArray](https://millionrounds.com/company/tagarray)** Bought by [Maxim Integrated](https://millionrounds.com/fund/maxim-integrated) **Undisclosed** Jul 2013

**[Bluefin Labs](https://millionrounds.com/company/bluefin-labs)** Bought by [Twitter](https://millionrounds.com/fund/twitter) **$80M** Feb 2013

**[Vivisimo](https://millionrounds.com/company/vivisimo)** Bought by [IBM (International Business Machines)](https://millionrounds.com/fund/ibm-international-business-machines) **Undisclosed** Apr 2012

**[CleverSet](https://millionrounds.com/company/cleverset)** Bought by ATG (Art Technology Group) **$10M** Jan 2008

An exit counts when it came after the firm's first round in the company. From historical deal records.

## The cheque

Pre-seed Seed Series A

Median round joined **$926K** the round, not its cheque Alone, median **$599K**

Led 0 of 1,869 rounds **0%**

- **Sole investor:** 866 rounds
- **Last cheque:** Sept 2026
- **Exits:** 6 from the portfolio

Rounds by stage said on their site

- Grant *979*
- Venture *449*
- Seed said *184*
- Series A said *85*
- Series B said *55*
- Debt *24*
- Pre-seed said *-*

Cheques by month Led Joined

Nov 2023 Oct 2026

Often in the room with

- [MassChallenge](https://millionrounds.com/fund/masschallenge) 104
- [US Department of Energy](https://millionrounds.com/fund/u-s-department-of-energy) 89
- [National Institutes of Health](https://millionrounds.com/fund/national-institutes-of-health) 71
- [Techstars](https://millionrounds.com/fund/techstars) 58
- [Y Combinator](https://millionrounds.com/fund/y-combinator) 48
- [SOSV](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sosv) 42

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## Who they invest alongside

The investors most often in the same rounds as National Science Foundation. A count of rooms they were both in, not a relationship either has claimed.

[**MassChallenge** Accelerator **104** rounds together](https://millionrounds.com/fund/masschallenge)[**US Department of Energy** Government **89** rounds together](https://millionrounds.com/fund/u-s-department-of-energy)[**National Institutes of Health** Government **71** rounds together](https://millionrounds.com/fund/national-institutes-of-health)[**Techstars** VC firm **58** rounds together](https://millionrounds.com/fund/techstars)[**Y Combinator** Accelerator **48** rounds together](https://millionrounds.com/fund/y-combinator)[**SOSV** VC firm **42** rounds together](https://millionrounds.com/fund/sosv)[**MassVentures** VC firm **38** rounds together](https://millionrounds.com/fund/massventures)[**Cleantech Open** Accelerator **36** rounds together](https://millionrounds.com/fund/cleantech-open)[**Alumni Ventures** VC firm **34** rounds together](https://millionrounds.com/fund/us-strategic-tech-fund-an-alumni-ventures-fund)[**Creative Destruction Lab** Accelerator **26** rounds together](https://millionrounds.com/fund/creative-destruction-lab)[**One North Carolina Small Business Program** Investment firm **25** rounds together](https://millionrounds.com/fund/one-north-carolina-small-business-program)[**Small Business Innovation Research** Government **25** rounds together](https://millionrounds.com/fund/small-business-innovation-research)

## Recently backed

The latest companies National Science Foundation put money into.

[**Beamlink** $2.3M · Sept 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/beamlink)[**Spearhead Bio** $1.6M · Sept 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/spearhead-bio)[**Partillion Bioscience** $2.1M · Sept 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/partillion-bioscience)[**Talus Bio** $11M · Sept 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/talus-bio)[**Informuta** $1.3M · Sept 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/informuta)[**NLM Photonics** Sept 2026](https://millionrounds.com/company/nlm-photonics)

## Mentioned on podcasts

Episodes that name National Science Foundation in their description, not their title.

- [Inevitable](https://millionrounds.com/podcasts/inevitable) 2 Feb 2023 · 52 min Startup Series: Virridy Mentions [National Science Foundation](https://millionrounds.com/fund/nsf-small-business-innovation-research-small-business-techno)[Evan Thomas](https://millionrounds.com/person/evan-thomas) Apple PodcastsShow page
- [Capital Allocators](https://millionrounds.com/podcasts/capital-allocators) 3 Oct 2022 · 60 min [REPLAY] Annie Duke - Improving Decision Making [Capital Allocators, EP.39] With [Annie Duke](https://millionrounds.com/person/annie-duke) Mentions [National Science Foundation](https://millionrounds.com/fund/nsf-small-business-innovation-research-small-business-techno) Apple PodcastsShow page
- [Capital Allocators](https://millionrounds.com/podcasts/capital-allocators) 14 Sept 2020 · 60 min [REPLAY] Annie Duke - Improving Decision Making [Capital Allocators, EP.39] With [Annie Duke](https://millionrounds.com/person/annie-duke) Mentions [National Science Foundation](https://millionrounds.com/fund/nsf-small-business-innovation-research-small-business-techno) Apple PodcastsShow page
- [Capital Allocators](https://millionrounds.com/podcasts/capital-allocators) 5 Feb 2018 · 60 min Annie Duke - Improving Decision Making [Capital Allocators, EP.39] With [Annie Duke](https://millionrounds.com/person/annie-duke) Mentions [National Science Foundation](https://millionrounds.com/fund/nsf-small-business-innovation-research-small-business-techno) Apple PodcastsShow page

## Quick answers about National Science Foundation

### What does National Science Foundation invest in?

National Science Foundation invests most often at Grant and Venture (80% of the rounds on record), in sectors such as Semiconductor, New Materials and Nanotechnology.

### How active is National Science Foundation?

1,869 investments on record, 164 of them in the last 12 months. The most recent was in Sept 2026.

### What has National Science Foundation invested in recently?

Its most recent investments on record: Beamlink (Venture, Sept 2026), Spearhead Bio (Seed, Sept 2026) and Partillion Bioscience (Grant, Sept 2026).

### How big are National Science Foundation's cheques?

The median round it joins is $926K.

### Does National Science Foundation lead rounds?

Rarely, if at all: none of its 1,869 investments on record names it as the lead.

### Where does National Science Foundation invest?

Most of the companies it backs are in the United States (100%).

### Is National Science Foundation investing now?

Yes: it is actively investing, with 164 investments in the last 12 months.

### Who does National Science Foundation invest alongside?

Most often MassChallenge (104 rounds together), US Department of Energy (89 rounds together) and National Institutes of Health (71 rounds together).

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