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= Purpose =
The primary goal of NSF I-Corps is to promote entrepreneurship from NSF-funded research leading to the commercialization of novel technology. Entrepreneurship is approached through the emphasis of customer and business development. I-Corps will be the vehicle to foster start-ups founded by the participants, making successful I-Corps projects prepared for business formation. Prominently, I-Corps programs bridge the NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. When applicable, additional resources from the private sector are sought by NSF in the form of partnerships and finance.
To achieve its purpose, NSF I-Corps has three distinct components: Teams, Nodes, and Sites. I-Corps Teams are comprised of the principal investigator(s) (PI), an entrepreneurial lead (EL) (i.e. student or postdoc), and business mentor. I-Corps Nodes are hubs (i.e. academic institution) for education, infrastructure, and research that aid academic scientists and engineers in innovation. Moreover, I-Corps Nodes deliver the I-Corps Curriculum to I-Corps Teams. Finally, I-Corps Sites are academic institutions that strengthen local innovation by aiding multiple local teams for their technology transition. Depending on position stance as described, NSF I-Corps funding will be allocated to successful applicants of Teams, Nodes, or Sites to initiate the purpose of developing an innovation ecosystem.
= Distinct Differences From Other Offerings =