Accelerating Research to Market
Purpose: Assess market readiness and accelerate commercialization
Eligibility: Applications must be submitted through a U.S. college or university
Program Length: Approximately 7-8 weeks
Funding: Up to $50,000 in support funds
NSF Requirement: Teams must complete a Regional Hub I-Corps program and receive a recommendation from program leadership
Competitiveness: Participation is competitive and requires a proposal reviewed nationally, including an interview
Primary Outcome: By the end of the program, teams are prepared to pursue SBIR/STTR funding, start a company, or attract investors
Program Expectations
The NSF I-Corps National Teams program has clear expectations for participating teams. The program is intensive and designed to push researchers to test the commercial potential of their technology.
This is a seven-week program that reiterates and expands upon the Regional Hub program. The I-Corps Teams program supports researchers interested in entrepreneurial education and mentoring, with the goal of reducing the time it takes to bring technologies from the laboratory to the marketplace. Teams conduct a minimum of 100 customer discovery interviews with potential customers and industry stakeholders while participating in weekly sessions and mentorship. Using these insights, participants refine their value proposition, develop their business model, and determine the most viable path toward commercialization, including startup formation and follow-on funding.
Team Requirements
- Required 3-person core team: Entrepreneurial Lead (EL), Technical Lead (TL), and Industry Mentor (IM)
- Teams must be ready to scale their validation efforts and seek federal funding
- All team members must commit to attending all sessions
