About the I-Corps Program (Hub Video)
The Ohio State University local NSF I-Corps program offers an immersive four-week training tailored to researchers and students eager to explore the commercial potential of their research.
This program is designed to provide faculty, staff, and students with an opportunity to develop marketable ideas and accelerate the startup process. If you are looking to make an impact with your research, joining our NSF I-Corps program is a great place to start.
Course Description
This course will help you explore the commercial viability of your innovation. The Lean Launchpad approach is a process to help you systematically test key assumptions about your technology/product/service and the customer problems it may solve. This process will help you narrow your focus as you test specific hypotheses about your proposed product/service.
Learning Objectives
- Develop familiarity with Lean Launchpad concepts and tools such as customer discovery, ecosystem mapping, and the Value Proposition Canvas
- Understand customers’ problems (“pain points”) from THEIR perspective.
- Map your customer ecosystem to understand customer roles, requirements, and decision processes.
- Build connections to the commercial ecosystem (i.e., customers, suppliers, funders) for your innovation.
Course Benefits
- Become eligible for the NSF I-Corps National Teams program and a $50,000 grant for qualifying technologies and teams
- Prepare to apply to the NSF Partnerships for Innovation (PFI), Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) commercialization grant programs, etc.
- Gain valuable market insight to inform the next steps in your research and/or development.
- Develop network connections and receive mentoring from experienced experts and entrepreneurs.
- Develop an entrepreneurial mindset and toolset beneficial for any career
Course Schedule
Sessions are held 9:00-11:30AM
In-Person sessions – IMR Innovation Center 1381 Kinnear Columbus, OH 43212
Virtual sessions--Zoom link will be provided upon registration
Cohort 1: January 19, 26, February 2, 9
Questions can be directed to Brian Genide, genide.3@osu.edu
