The University of Maryland is offering a free UMD Innovation Corps (I-Corps) short course to innovators and entrepreneurs. Based on the National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps curriculum, this course offers real-world, hands-on, immersive learning about what it takes to successfully transfer knowledge into products and processes that benefit society.
The Introduction to I-Corps Course is a short, intense, experiential, bootcamp-style cohort. Participants will work closely with teammates, with other teams, and with mentors and instructors to develop business models around their innovations. Courses are approximately two weeks in duration, with the cohort meeting in person three or four times during the two week span. Teams must also commit to conducting a significant number of customer interviews during the two weeks, and to completing readings and assignments. Participants should plan on spending 50% of their time on I-Corps during these two weeks.
After successful completion of the Introduction to I-Corps Course, teams may be eligible to apply to NSF’s national I-Corps Teams program. Teams will also be well positioned to pursue TEDCO MII awards, MIPS funding, SBIR/STTR and other support and funding programs.
All UMD professors, research staff, post docs, graduate students, and undergraduate students with potentially commercializable research or technology-based business ideas are eligible to participate and encouraged to apply. UMD also welcomes researchers and technology entrepreneurs from the Maryland System and from the broader region to apply to the program. While individuals may apply to the course, it is strongly encouraged to apply as a team of at least two members, and to apply with a mentor to support you in the program.