The overarching mission of NTI is to focus on the transfer of nanotechnology discoveries and intellectual knowledge from universities to industry partners, and on the rapid application and commercialization of nanotechnology to stimulate economic growth through:

* Multi-institutional and interdisciplinary research & development to facilitate the transfer and commercialization of discoveries and intellectual knowledge that support rapid application of nanotechnology to the life sciences sector and the creation of new enterprises around this technology
* A Comprehensive Approach requiring the strategic alignment of six programmatic areas
o Industry-focused research and development
o Entrepreneurial business development and commercialization
o Risk capital
o Workforce development
o Economic research
o Community-of-interest networks

The NTI is seeded with a technology grant whose cumulative value is $16.3 million from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority, and is administered through the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED)