Selective Laser Sintering (SLSŪ) is a rapid prototyping/rapid manufacturing process developed with the help of federal, state and private funding. Its commercialization has led to economic benefits for a number of companies and, with other RP technologies, has enabled synergistic spin-off manufacturing technologies and has created domestic jobs. After almost 15 years of development, SLS as an advanced manufacturing method is still sparking new applications in manufacturing as well as new company formation, regional manufacturing, and local job creation.. This presentation describes how SLS has bridged between the university research lab and the manufacturing sector, with concomitant benefits to domestic manufacturing strength. A recent example of manufacturing company partnering/creation as a technology transfer vehicle for SLS technology will be described. Here, external government funding was critical to the timing of a small-company formation as a recipient of the technological advance.