Test Bed: Toward a Network of Programmable Cloud Laboratories

The "Test Bed: Toward a Network of Programmable Cloud Laboratories" grant, offered by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), is part of the agency’s continued effort to advance the frontiers of science and technology in the United States. As a key federal agency supporting fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering, NSF seeks to catalyze innovation that drives national competitiveness and addresses pressing societal challenges. This funding opportunity focuses on accelerating research through the deployment of programmable cloud laboratories that enable autonomous experimentation. These facilities are designed to streamline complex workflows by integrating artificial intelligence (AI)-driven experimental design, automated laboratory execution, and advanced data analysis and interpretation. The program aims to establish a distributed network of autonomous laboratories called Programmable Cloud Laboratory (PCL) Nodes. These nodes will be remotely accessible and interconnected via computational networking, shared scientific objectives, and common data and AI standards. The Test Bed initiative seeks to enhance reproducibility in scientific research, expedite the scaling and translation of basic research into industry, and promote best practices in the standardization of automated laboratory protocols, workflows, and metadata usage. Each proposal must identify a clear set of science drivers that will benefit significantly from the deployment of such test beds. These may include research in materials science aligned with the Materials Genome Initiative, biotechnology applications to support the U.S. bioeconomy, or catalyst development to support chemical synthesis for national needs. The grant funds the development and operation of these PCL Nodes with the expectation of community participation and sustained use beyond the award period. User recruitment and onboarding workshops are a mandatory part of the program, designed to encourage participation from underrepresented institutions such as R2 universities, two-year colleges, and Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs). Researchers from academia and industry, including SBIR/STTR awardees, will be eligible to access and use the PCL Test Bed infrastructure to advance their research goals. The program will fund approximately six awards, with a minimum individual award amount of $2,000,000. The total funding available for the initiative is estimated at $100,000,000. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement for applicants. Proposals may be submitted by U.S.-based for-profit organizations (including small businesses), non-profit non-academic entities such as museums and professional societies, and accredited U.S. institutions of higher education. International branches of U.S. institutions may be included under specific justification and benefit to the project. The funding opportunity opened on July 16, 2025, and the application deadline is October 20, 2025. All materials must be submitted by this closing date. No pre-application deadlines or letters of intent are required as per the notice. The opportunity is discretionary and is categorized under science, technology, and research development. There is no indication that the grant is rolling or recurring, though any future cycles are not precluded. For additional information, applicants are directed to NSF Publication 25-541. Technical assistance and access issues can be addressed by contacting NSF’s Grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.