Accelerate

National I-Corps

Taking your startup to the next level

"The NSF I-Corps Teams program is incredibly rewarding. In less than two months the team will learn what it typically takes entrepreneurs two years to learn."

- Christina Pellicane, I-Corps Northeast Hub Lead Instructor

Teams with a deep tech innovation that was developed in a university lab and that are successful in the Hub Regional Program can apply to move forward in developing their idea into an active startup company.

The NSF I-Corps Teams program is an intensive 7-week bootcamp that covers key concepts related to testing and building a business model.

Teams are selected on a competitive basis. If selected, teams will participate alongside academic teams from across the country. 

The NSF I-Corps Teams program is an intensive time commitment. Each team member will have to put in many hours and should not expect to have significant free time for other activities, including lab work, during the 7-week program. 

  • Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
  • To be eligible, the team must have an NSF research grant relevant to the technology being developed by the team or have participated in a regional I-Corps program.
  • Teams accepted into the program receive a $50,000 grant to conduct customer discovery.

Applicants must have a technology development connection to an institution of higher education as well as submit their application from an institution of higher education. If you do not have a connection to a university, we recommend contacting your local SBDC and applying to the SBIR/STTR program.

NSF hosts monthly webinars (register here) where you can learn about program eligibility and requirements, team composition selection, and how to apply and ask questions about the program. Before attending a webinar, please review the solicitation and FAQ

Be sure to connect with your university’s Faculty Lead for additional support in preparing/submitting your proposal and/or Executive Summary.

If you’d like the Hub to try to find an Industry Mentor (IM) for your team, please complete the request form and email it to [email protected]. As a reminder, your Teaching Team, especially the Pod Mentors, are potential national IMs. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to one directly to ask if they’d like to join your team!

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