As a member of CRAFT, you'll have the opportunity to shape an important national fintech research program. In addition, CRAFT offers the following tangible business value to members.
Access to Talent
Industry members will work with students engaged in projects, often on location at industry members’ facilities. This provides members a chance to preview potential hires in a meaningful, real-world work setting.
Access to Research Results
All members have full access to CRAFT’s research outcomes – including publications, intellectual property rights, and deployable technologies – on a non-exclusive, royalty-free basis. IP terms and conditions are standardized according to the NSF’s well-established template, which simplifies this often-tricky aspect of industry funding for academic research.
De-Risk R&D Research Cost Avoidance
Research in a cooperative reduces risk of research outcome for individual industry
members.
Leveraged Research Dollars
CRAFT provides each member with access to research reflecting an investment that is a large multiple of that member’s own financial contribution. The I/UCRC model yields a
42:1 leveraging of research funds for members – that is, for each $1 that a member contributed in fees, that member received access to $42 of funded research.
Neutral Ground to Engage with Regulators
CRAFT engages with regulators to support channels of discussion and the exchange of ideas.
Training Workforce
CRAFT trains students to match industry needs, by creating internships and other industry engagement opportunities for students at all levels.
Four levels of CRAFT membership
Full - $50,000
1 Full Vote
Royalty-free access to all Center-funded IP
Member of the Industry Advisory Board including eligibility for role as Chair
Associate - $25,000
1 Half Vote
Royalty-free access to all Center-funded IP
Member of the Industry Advisory Board including eligibility for role as Chair
Affiliate - $5,000
No Vote
Not a voting member of the industry advisory board, but with Observer Status in IAB meetings
Government - No fee
No Vote
Not a voting member of the industry advisory board, but with Observer Status in IAB meetings
Note: Government agencies, defense department organizations, or federally funded entities may join CRAFT by signing an appropriate interagency agreement (IAA) or military interdepartmental purchase request (MIPR) or equivalent.