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Training researchers

to be entrepreneurs
OSU’s National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps (I-Corps™) Program helps researchers find the commercial potential of their technology.

This four-session program focuses on customer discovery and understanding the unique values your technology brings to customers.  Through weekly coaching feedback and 30 discovery interviews, you will take the first step towards developing a commercialization plan to get your technology out of the lab and into the marketplace.

OSU is one of eight universities that make up NSF's Southwest i-Corps Hub.

Program Overview

Program benefits

  • Receive $2,500 in NSF funding for travel reimbursement and stipends to help you conduct interviews.
  • Gain eligibility to apply for an I-Corps' $50,000 National Program.
  • Develop entrepreneurial skills including how to engage customers.
  • Discover your initial business model and product-market fit for use in commercialization plans like SBIR/STTR grants.

Time requirements

The program consists of three cohorts over the course of five weeks with customer discovery interviews taking place between each session. The $2,500 pays for travel costs for teams to conduct 30 interviews.

Next cohorts in 2024:
  • Summer #2: July/August
  • Fall #1: September/October
  • Fall #2: October/November

Team composition

  • A minimum of two people is required to make up an I-Corps team (entrepreneurial lead and technical lead) with a maximum of four members.
  • The technical lead will typically be a faculty member, senior research scientist or postdoctoral scholar.
  • The entrepreneurial lead is typically a student or other personnel with relevant knowledge of the technology.

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