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!

“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

For any questions, contact Shintaro Kaido at sk3434@drexel.edu