The National Science Foundation funds regional I-Corps Hubs around the US to train scientists and engineers to bring promising technology innovations from the laboratory to the marketplace. Using an experiential learning process called customer discovery, participants “get out of their comfort zone” to interview and learn from potential customers. The goal is to determine if the innovation solves a real-world problem with a sizable market opportunity.
Cornell leads the Interior Northeast I-Corps Hub (IN I-Corps), which offers regional I-Corps courses online every month with an opportunity to receive a microgrant of up to $3,000 to continue customer discovery after the course ends. The Hub also runs industry-specific courses several times per year, which include a funded trip to major industry event, such as the BIO International conference.
Weill Cornell Medicine faculty and trainees are eligible to participate in these courses. Regional course completers who earn a Hub recommendation can apply to NSF’s I-Corps Teams national program, which provides more training and a $50,000 grant to conduct 100+ customer discovery interviews.
Contact Loren Busby at lob4002@med.cornell.edu for additional information.