About I-Corps
I-Corps is a program created and funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). In recent years, NSF has awarded over $7 billion to academic institutions for research. I-Corps helps scientists and students “get out of the building” to interview potential customers to identify their problems and determine their needs.
The program features a curriculum designed by entrepreneur Steve Blank, an instructor at the Stanford Business School. Following the success of the I-Corps pilot, NSF secured additional funding from Congress to support programs at universities. Today, 100 active I-Corps sites have been established at institutions throughout the United States.
The USA curriculum uses a collaborative learning approach to ensure understanding by all participants. Team members learn business basics, how to speak in front of a group, how to interview customers and how to work together as a team. Students create their own ideas, or select from ideas available through the program. The course uses video instruction based on a national curriculum, as well as written materials and team-based learning.
Each class or cohort typically consists of roughly 30 students and faculty mentors spread among 8-10 teams. The I-Corps faculty is currently comprised of 12 “Teaching Team Members” that include entrepreneurs, former Wall Street executives, and academicians in the research areas of the teams’ technologies.
Contact
➤ LOCATION
University of South Alabama
☎ CONTACT
icorps@southalabama.edu
Value Proposition
fACULTY
Participating faculty members help teams network with industry leaders. In doing so, they develop contacts for research collaborations in the private sector. According to recent data, faculty who graduate from the I-Corps program are three times more likely to be awarded an NSF grant.
STUDENT
Students work on a team with up to 3-4 additional members, a faculty advisor and an industry mentor, if available. They are expected to conduct a minimum of 30 documented interviews with industry representatives. These interviews focus on identifying the industry’s needs or problems--not selling or pitching the team’s technology. Each team is eligible for reimbursement of up to $2,500 in travel expenses to attend conferences or to build prototypes. Upon successful completion of the program, students receive an Innovation Scholar Certificate and academic credit (if the student has chosen the for-credit option). Highly successful and motivated teams may be recommended to apply for the National I-Corps program, which features a $50,000 grant. Unlike the local I-Corps grant, this grant can pay student stipends.
HISTORY OF I-CORPS
The program at the University of South Alabama was established by NSF in 2017. Since that time, multiple teams comprised of faculty, students and mentors have graduated from the program. Eligible participants include students from USA, the University of Mobile, Spring Hill College, Bishop State Community College and by special permission, the Alabama School of Math and Science.
