Technology Licensing Office at the University of Utah

Have you ever wondered whether your laboratory discovery or research has value in the real world? Whether you’re a graduate student, post-doc, researcher or faculty member, you know how important it is to transform your idea into real-world impact.

What is I-Corps™?

The U.S. National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps (I-Corps™) program is designed to help reduce the time and risk associated with translating promising ideas and technologies from the laboratory to the marketplace. This personalized program helps researchers transform their discoveries into products and services that can benefit society within a community of entrepreneurs, educators and mentors. Anyone is welcome to attend, including those outside the University of Utah system.

Why participate?

If you have an innovative and potentially impactful idea-whether you're a graduate student, a postdoc, a faculty member or other staff member-I encourage you to talk to the Utah I-Corps Team about the NSF I-Corps Program. The program offers training and mentorship in customer discovery and market validation to maximize the impact of your research and innovation. New cohorts are starting all the time, so you can plan ahead.

Regional Programming:

The regional program is designed for graduate students and research faculty developing deep tech with market potential. During a 5-Week Course (Zap 3 Weeks) (Boom 2 Weeks) you will receive expert coaching in Lean Startup Methodology and the Business Model Canvas while conducting customer discovery interviews with industry-relevant stakeholders. No prior business experience is required, just a commitment to explore real-world applications for your innovation.

I-Corps™ Hub West

The University of Utah is part of I-Corps™ Hub West that includes 12 Partner Institutions (Caltech, USC, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, Colorado State University, The University of New Mexico, UCLA, University of Colorado Boulder, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, Colorado School of Mines, Texas Tech and The University of Utah).

Zap

3 consecutive weekly sessions held via Zoom
3 Sessions (each session is 3 hours)
10 Interviews

Boom

2 consecutive weekly sessions held via Zoom
2 Sessions (each session is 3 hours)
12 Interviews

How to Apply for Regional Programming:

Form a team:
- Entrepreneurial Lead (EL): typically a grad student or post-doc who will lead the team and is committed to commercialization.
- Technical Lead (TL): typically, a faculty member (who serves as a PI*) or a post-doc with deep technical experience. (*may serve as PI-Of-Record but does not participate)
Choose a Cohort date and submit the I-Corps Hub West Application form via the Hub portal: https://www.icorpshubwest.org/schedule

Who can apply?

Anyone is eligible to participate in regional programming. This formal customer discovery training is provided at no cost by the NSF and could also help you become eligible for other non-diluting federal grants or contract opportunities.

How do I get to Nationals?

General Requirements

Must have a technology connection to a university or research institution
Must submit application from an institution of higher learning

Small businesses are not eligible for the national program but are welcome to participate in regional programming.

Two Eligibility Pathways for the National Program

NSF Lineage: You have received a prior research award from NSF in a relevant related science or engineering field that has been active within the past 5 years.
- Lineage extends to PI, Co-PIs, Senior Personnel, Post-Docs, Grad students and professional staff

Or

I-Corps Regional Program Recommendation: You have participated in an I-Corps Hub Regional Program and have received a letter of recommendation to participate in a national cohort.

How to apply for the National Program:

Your Team must include:
- Entrepreneurial Lead (EL): typically a grad student or post-doc who will lead the team and is committed to commercialization.
- Technical Lead (TL): typically, a faculty member (who serves as a PI*) or a post-doc with deep technical experience. (*may serve as PI-Of-Record but does not participate)
- Industry Mentor (IM): Industry expert with business experience; independent from the technology development.
Submit an Executive Summary application through the National I-Corps portal:
- Hub recommended teams must submit the Hub Letter of Recommendation with their Executive Summary

All members of your team will need to commit to the following program requirements:

Complete a minimum of 100 interviews
Attend all I-Corps sessions including:
- Orientation - 4 hours (1 week prior to kick-off)
- 5 day Kick-Off
- 5 Weekly Web sessions
- 2 day Closing session
- Weekly office hours
Follow the customer discovery process
Commit to the translation of your technology (it is NOT mandatory to commercialize your tech at the end of the program)

National I-Corps Teams applicants

A team accepted into the U.S. National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (I-Corps™) National Teams training program is eligible to be awarded up to $50,000, which supports the team’s program participation including stipends and expenses for virtual and in-person customer discovery.

Through the seven-week program, teams engage with prospective customers, partners, and others in the ecosystem—evaluating the commercial potential for turning their technologies into successful products, processes and services.