Opportunity Information: Apply for 2025 NIST CHIPS AIAE SUSTAINABILITY 01
The CHIPS AI/AE for Rapid, Industry-informed Sustainable Semiconductor Materials and Processes (CARISSMA) Competition is a discretionary funding opportunity from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) that aims to push U.S. semiconductor manufacturing forward by funding university-centered collaborations that use artificial intelligence and autonomous experimentation (AI/AE). The core idea is to pair AI-driven decision-making with automated or highly instrumented laboratory and process experimentation so research teams can iterate faster, learn from data in near real time, and move promising materials and process ideas from discovery to practical adoption more efficiently. The focus is explicitly on sustainable semiconductor materials and processes, meaning projects should connect technical advances with measurable improvements that matter to industry goals such as cost, manufacturability, performance, reliability, resource use, and environmental footprint.
The program is designed to be industry-informed, so proposals are expected to be shaped by real semiconductor manufacturing needs rather than purely academic curiosity. In practical terms, this points toward projects that are co-developed with industry input, aligned to current and next-generation fabrication challenges, and structured to produce outputs that industry can use or build on. Alongside research and development, the NOFO also emphasizes education and workforce development. That means successful teams are expected not only to generate new knowledge and capabilities, but also to train the next wave of researchers and practitioners who can operate at the intersection of semiconductors, data/AI methods, automation, and sustainability.
If funded, awards under this competition are intended to strengthen the long-term viability of domestic, next-generation semiconductor manufacturing. The opportunity description highlights acceleration across the full innovation pathway: discovery, design, synthesis, and adoption of new materials and processes. The point is speed with rigor: AI/AE approaches can reduce the time and cost of trial-and-error experimentation by intelligently selecting the next experiments, automatically collecting high-quality data, and continuously improving predictive models. In semiconductor contexts, that could translate into faster identification of new materials, improved process recipes, better metrology and control strategies, or more sustainable alternatives that still meet strict performance and yield requirements.
Eligibility is centered on U.S.-based academic leadership. Eligible applicants include domestic accredited institutions of higher education, as well as domestic nonprofit or for-profit organizations that manage consortia of accredited higher education institutions. “Domestic” is defined in a formal way: the entity must be incorporated in the United States (including U.S. territories) and have its principal place of business in the United States (including U.S. territories). A key application constraint is that each eligible applicant may submit only one concept paper and, if invited to proceed, only one full application. That structure signals a two-step process where an initial concept is screened before full proposals are requested, and it encourages institutions or consortium managers to coordinate internally and submit a single, strongest package rather than multiple competing proposals.
The NOFO also lays out a broad set of eligible subrecipients, giving teams flexibility to assemble the right mix of capabilities. Subrecipients may include accredited colleges and universities, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, state/local/territorial/Tribal governments, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), federal entities, foreign partners, and other entities that would otherwise be eligible to participate as applicants. Unlike prime applicants, subrecipients can participate in multiple applications, which allows specialized labs, centers, or organizations to contribute to more than one team. The NOFO draws a clear line between subrecipients and standard vendors: vendors who are simply selling goods or services in the ordinary course of business are not treated as subrecipients under this program, which matters for compliance, budgeting, and the nature of programmatic responsibilities.
From the posted source data, this opportunity is issued under Funding Opportunity Number 2025 NIST CHIPS AIAE SUSTAINABILITY 01, categorized as discretionary, with an “Other” funding instrument type, and a science and technology/research and development activity focus. The CFDA (Assistance Listing) number is 11.042, and the agency is NIST. The original closing date listed is 2025-01-13. The listing also notes an expectation of about 10 awards, while the award ceiling field is not specified in the provided excerpt. Overall, CARISSMA is positioned as a targeted CHIPS-related investment in AI-enabled, automation-forward research ecosystems that can deliver faster innovation cycles, more sustainable semiconductor processes, and a stronger U.S. talent pipeline aligned with industry needs.Apply for 2025 NIST CHIPS AIAE SUSTAINABILITY 01
- The National Institute of Standards and Technology in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "CHIPS AI/AE for Rapid, Industry-informed Sustainable Semiconductor Materials and Processes (CARISSMA) Competition" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.042.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-10-30.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-13. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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CARISSMA (CHIPS AI/AE for Rapid, Industry-informed Sustainable Semiconductor Materials and Processes) Competition FAQs
1. What is the CARISSMA Competition?
The CHIPS AI/AE for Rapid, Industry-informed Sustainable Semiconductor Materials and Processes (CARISSMA) Competition is a discretionary funding opportunity from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It is designed to advance U.S. semiconductor manufacturing by funding university-centered collaborations that use artificial intelligence and autonomous experimentation (AI/AE) to speed up materials and process innovation.
2. Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
3. What is the goal of the CARISSMA program?
The program aims to push U.S. semiconductor manufacturing forward by accelerating the discovery, design, synthesis, and adoption of new semiconductor materials and processes. The emphasis is on moving faster while maintaining rigor by using AI-driven decision-making alongside automated or highly instrumented experimentation.
4. What does AI/AE mean in the context of this competition?
AI/AE refers to combining artificial intelligence with autonomous experimentation. In practical terms, project teams are expected to use AI to decide what experiments to run next and use automated or highly instrumented lab/process setups to generate high-quality data quickly, feeding results back into models in near real time.
5. What types of outcomes is CARISSMA trying to accelerate?
The opportunity highlights acceleration across the full innovation pathway, including discovery, design, synthesis, and adoption of new materials and processes. It also points to industry-relevant outputs such as improved process recipes, better metrology and control strategies, faster identification of promising materials, and sustainable alternatives that still meet strict performance and yield requirements.
6. What does "industry-informed" mean for proposals?
Projects are expected to be shaped by real semiconductor manufacturing needs rather than purely academic interests. Proposals should reflect industry input, align to current and next-generation fabrication challenges, and be structured to produce outputs that industry can use or build on.
7. Why is sustainability a core focus in this competition?
The focus is explicitly on sustainable semiconductor materials and processes. Projects should connect technical advances with measurable improvements tied to industry goals such as cost, manufacturability, performance, reliability, resource use, and environmental footprint.
8. What kinds of improvements should projects be able to demonstrate?
Based on the opportunity description, projects should link their technical approach to measurable improvements that matter to industry, including (as examples listed in the description) cost, manufacturability, performance, reliability, resource use, and environmental footprint.
9. Who is eligible to apply as the prime applicant?
Eligibility is centered on U.S.-based academic leadership. Eligible prime applicants include:
- Domestic accredited institutions of higher education
- Domestic nonprofit or for-profit organizations that manage consortia of accredited higher education institutions
10. What does "domestic" mean for applicant eligibility?
"Domestic" is defined formally in the opportunity description: the entity must be incorporated in the United States (including U.S. territories) and have its principal place of business in the United States (including U.S. territories).
11. Can an applicant submit more than one concept paper?
No. Each eligible applicant may submit only one concept paper.
12. Can an applicant submit more than one full application?
No. If invited to proceed, each eligible applicant may submit only one full application.
13. Does this opportunity use a two-step application process?
Yes. The opportunity describes a structure where an initial concept paper is submitted and screened before full applications are requested. Full applications are only submitted if the applicant is invited to proceed.
14. Why does the program limit applicants to one concept paper and one full application?
The structure encourages institutions or consortium managers to coordinate internally and submit a single strongest package rather than multiple competing proposals.
15. Who can participate as subrecipients on a project?
The NOFO describes a broad range of eligible subrecipients, which may include:
- Accredited colleges and universities
- For-profit and nonprofit organizations
- State, local, territorial, or Tribal governments
- Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs)
- Federal entities
- Foreign partners
- Other entities that would otherwise be eligible to participate as applicants
16. Can a subrecipient participate in more than one application?
Yes. The NOFO indicates that subrecipients can participate in multiple applications, allowing specialized labs, centers, or organizations to contribute to more than one team.
17. What is the difference between a subrecipient and a vendor under this program?
The NOFO distinguishes subrecipients from standard vendors. Vendors that are simply selling goods or services in the ordinary course of business are not treated as subrecipients. This distinction matters for compliance, budgeting, and programmatic responsibilities.
18. What kinds of collaborations does CARISSMA encourage?
The program is described as supporting university-centered collaborations, with flexibility to assemble teams via subrecipients spanning academia, industry-related organizations, government entities, FFRDCs, and even foreign partners where appropriate.
19. Is workforce development part of the program expectations?
Yes. Alongside research and development, the NOFO emphasizes education and workforce development. Successful teams are expected to train researchers and practitioners who can work at the intersection of semiconductors, data/AI methods, automation, and sustainability.
20. What is the Funding Opportunity Number for CARISSMA?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is 2025 NIST CHIPS AIAE SUSTAINABILITY 01.
21. What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number?
The Assistance Listing (CFDA) number is 11.042.
22. What is the funding category and activity type?
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary, with an "Other" funding instrument type, and it focuses on science and technology / research and development activities.
23. What is the application closing date shown in the provided information?
The original closing date listed in the provided information is 2025-01-13.
24. How many awards does NIST expect to make under this opportunity?
The listing notes an expectation of about 10 awards.
25. What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling field is not specified in the provided excerpt.
26. How does CARISSMA aim to improve the speed of semiconductor R&D?
The opportunity describes using AI/AE to reduce time and cost associated with trial-and-error experimentation by intelligently selecting next experiments, automatically collecting high-quality data, and continuously improving predictive models using near real-time feedback.
27. What is the longer-term national impact described for CARISSMA?
If funded, awards are intended to strengthen the long-term viability of domestic, next-generation semiconductor manufacturing by building AI-enabled, automation-forward research ecosystems and developing a stronger U.S. talent pipeline aligned with industry needs.
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