I-Corps at Drexel
National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (I-Corps)
Take the lead in making an impact with your innovation.
- You do not have to have prior or current NSF funding to participate
- Participants do not have to reveal their technology or IP – thus can proceed independent of the intellectual property development process with university tech transfer
- Stage-gate commercialization program; not just for those considering startups!
- Local “Short Course” to learn about the customer discovery process and explore ways to take your innovation (including social impact innovation) to the real world
- National “I-Corps Teams” program to validate your value proposition and target market
- Get a $50,000 grant from NSF to go to the I-Corps Teams program
- Dramatically increase your chances for NSF SBIR Phase I
- ~50% win rate for those completing the I-Corps Teams cohort vs. 7-8% for the general applicant pool
Get Involved!
Register for I-Corps “Short Course” at Drexel
“Short Course” (Regional & Drexel)
- 2-week workshops on business model and customer discovery
- Taught by successful entrepreneurs who are NSF I-Corps certified using the Lean Launchpad methodology
- 2 half-day sessions to “kick off’ and half-day “closing workshop”
- Weekly 90-minute online coaching sessions
- Conduct 30 customer discovery interviews
- Become eligible for national I-Corps Teams program
“I-Corps Teams” (National)
- Intensive 7-week national cohort for top teams from across the US (16 cohorts per year)
- $50K to do 100+ customer discovery interviews anywhere you need to go
- Personalized instruction and team mentoring from successful entrepreneurs
- 3-day in-person “kickoff” workshop, 6 weeks to conduct interviews; 90-minute weekly report-ins, and 2-day “lessons learned” workshop
- Decide whether to pursue commercialization
- Identify next steps including NSF SBIR Phase I
NSF I-Corps Outcomes Since 2011 |
National cohort teams: 1,509 |
Number of startups: 790 |
Startups raising capital: 376 |
Amount raised: $456M |
Exits: 4 |
15 Drexel University teams participated in I-Corps “Short Course” in 2019 with representation from College of Engineering, College of Nursing and Health Professions, College of Arts & Sciences, School of Education and College of Medicine
For any questions, contact Shintaro Kaido at sk3434@drexel.edu