No, teams do not need to be affiliated with Princeton University or other Hub member institutions. The program is open to researchers affiliated with colleges, universities or research institutions throughout the Northeast as well as non-academic teams who are developing tech-enabled innovations. If you are not in the Northeast, we can help you connect with an I-Corps Hub in your region.

Undergraduate teams may be possible, depending on the technology and situation of the students. We encourage you to contact us to discuss your situation. One of the barriers to undergraduate participation is the time commitment required for participation in I-Corps programs. Additionally, the Technical Lead and Entrepreneurial Lead both need to have relevant knowledge of the technology and a deep commitment to investigate the commercial landscape surrounding the innovation. The Entrepreneurial Lead should also be capable and have the will to support the transition of the technology, should the I-Corps project demonstrate the potential for commercial viability. Undergraduates may want to ask themselves, “Do I have the time to dedicate to an intensive program?” and “What will I do should the team decide to found a startup?”

At minimum, teams need an Entrepreneurial Lead and a Technical Lead. For example, a faculty member may serve as the Technical Lead and a graduate student or postdoctoral researcher could be the Entrepreneurial Lead. Other arrangements are possible, and we welcome your questions about specific situations. A team can also include a dedicated mentor but it is not required. General/floating mentors will be available for all teams.

We encourage teams to apply as early as possible before the program they would like to attend, as programs fill up fast. Teams are interviewed on a rolling basis. Typically, the interview process starts approximately two months prior to a program's start date and continues until all cohort slots are filled.

To ensure successful outcomes of the program, teams should make sure that they have adequate time to dedicate to the program. Teams are encouraged to apply when they have two members (an Entrepreneurial Lead and a Technical Lead) able to 1) attend all program sessions and 2) dedicate time between sessions for pre-session work including customer discovery interviews. We are happy to answer any specific questions.

No, the technology you are commercializing does not need to be patentable. There may be a number of reasons that your research is not patentable. For example, your technology may be better protected as a trade secret or with copyright. If the intellectual property ownership of your technology is unclear, please talk to your institution’s technology licensing office. At most universities, the intellectual property associated with discoveries made by faculty, staff and graduate students, or made using university facilities and supplies, belongs to the institution, not the individual.

You are not required to give details about your technology or explain how it works during the application process. If you have any concern about disclosing intellectual property during the I-Corps application process or program, please consult your institution’s technology licensing office.

The program aims to help researchers explore the translation of scientific and technological discoveries. These are sometimes called “deep technologies” because they result from investigations into profound questions in science and engineering. To see examples of technologies that have been funded by the National Science Foundation through small business (SBIR/STTR) grants, see the Seed Fund program website.

Typically, we expect the technology to be at a Technology Readiness Level (TLR) of about 3: Experimental proof of concept.

The Hub instructors can recommend or provide an industry mentor to join your team for participation in the regional program. As an alternative, you may wish to work with a mentor that you’ve identified. For example, you may find a mentor through your alumni network or your university’s technology licensing office or entrepreneurship program. A mentor is someone who is interested not only in your startup development but also in your personal development.

If your team applies to join the national I-Corps Teams program, you will be expected to include a mentor as part of your team. The mentor in your national team could very well be one of the mentors you work with in the regional program.

Yes, everyone on your team needs to attend every meeting. The program also requires customer interviews, and not every team member needs to be at every customer interview.

Yes, if some team members are not physically located in the Northeast, the team is still eligible. The technology should originate from an institution/university/college or team located in the Northeast. 

There are no special citizenships requirements for I-Corps Team members.

No, previous funding is not required. You do not need to have an NSF research grant – or a grant from any other agency – to apply. 

Technically, yes. However, it is best if you complete a regional program before applying for the national. In fact, NSF often requests teams who apply for the national program to re-apply once they’ve completed a regional program. Additionally, if the technology is not directly related to the existing NSF grant you have, you’ll have to complete a regional program to qualify.

If you’ve participated and received funding from another NSF-funded I-Corps Hub regional program, your next steps should be considered in collaboration with leaders from your regional Hub.  You may, however, be eligible to participate in our Propelus regional programs on a case-by-case basis, but your team cannot receive any additional NSF funding for Customer Discovery.