NATIONAL NSF I-CORPSTM

Program Details

The National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (I-CorpsTM) program is designed to prepare scientists and engineers to extend their focus beyond the laboratory and to accelerate the transfer of cutting-edge, NSF-funded research into commercial success. Through extensive customer engagement, teams are able to validate potential applications of their technology. The curriculum is an immersive 7-week program designed to avoid building a product that no one wants; the number one reason startups fail.

Teams—composed of academic researchers, student entrepreneurs and business mentors—participate in the curriculum via online instruction and on-site activities through one of the NSF I-CorpsTM Hubs. Teams are expected to complete at least fifteen customer interviews a week, which means that over the 7-week course, teams will have contact with over 100 potential customers. For more information on the I-Corps program, visit the NSF I-Corps Teams page.

 

Benefits of the Program

  • Understanding why your technology has value and to whom.
  • Finding a market for your technology that had not been previously considered.
  • Gaining an appreciation for what it takes to commercialize technology and the barriers to adoption.
  • An expanded network of like-minded peers, instructors, investors, customers, and mentors.
  • An accelerated approach to prevent years of wasted time, money and resources.
  • The program is supported by NSF-Certified I-Corps instructors and a $50,000 grant from the NSF.

 

Application Details

 

Required Team Composition

  • Entrepreneurial Lead (EL): This person must be committed to pursuing the project (including potentially seeing it forward after I-Corps). They attend all cohort meetings and are the primary person conducting customer discovery interviews and presenting on behalf of the team. EL’s are typically graduate students, Ph.D. students, or postdocs and should expect to spend approximately 40 hours per week on this project during the 7-week program.
  • Technical Lead (TL)/Primary Investigator (PI): I-Corps grants must go through a university. The PI is the faculty member who is authorized to receive the grant on behalf of the university. The TL may be another graduate student or postdoc from the faculty member’s lab. In I-Corps, the TL supports the EL and attends all cohort meetings. The TL should expect to spend approximately 15 hours per week on this project during the 7-week program (kickoff and finale weeks may require more than 15 hours).
  • Industry Mentor (IM): This person helps the team understand the industry landscape, manages confirmation bias during the customer discovery interviews, and connects them with stakeholders in the industry. The IM should expect to spend approximately 15 hours per week on this project during the 7-week program (kickoff and finale weeks may require more than 15 hours).

Eligibility for NSF I-Corps

  • Obtain NSF lineage:
  • Develop a deep technology/STEM innovation
  • Have the right to pursue the Intellectual Property (team members or sponsoring university owns it)
  • Open to the customer discovery process
  • Completed at least 20 customer discovery interviews before applying to NSF I-Corps
  • Commit to attending all cohort meetings and conducting 100 customer discovery interviews during the 7-week cohort

More information about team composition and eligibility can be found on the NSF I-Corps website.

Application Process

  1. Teams must complete a local or regional Great Lakes I-Corps Hub program.
  2. Upon completion, an instructor or Hub personnel may recommend them for the national program. Course evaluations play a role in determining a team’s eligibility for recommendation.
  3. When the Hub application for National I-Corps opens, teams submit their application, and an administrative review is conducted to confirm eligibility.
  4. Teams that advance to the finalist stage will be interviewed by a selection panel. All team members must be present.
  5. After the interviews, the panel selects the top 3-4 teams. The Hub will support these top teams by providing letters of recommendation and assisting with drafting an Executive Summary to submit to the NSF. If the NSF finds these documents satisfactory, they may invite the team to proceed with submitting a full proposal, with continued support from the Hub.
  6. Participate in a screening interview with an NSF Program Officer.
  7. If invited by NSF, submit a proposal in response to Solicitation 21-552.

Application Dates for 2026 National NSF I-Corps Cohorts

  • Winter Cohorts:
    • Open August 13, 2025
    • Close August 22, 2025
    • Decisions by September 8, 2025
  • Spring Cohorts:
    • Open October 13, 2025
    • Close October 22, 2025
  • Decisions by November 7, 2025
  • Summer Cohorts:
    • Open December 10, 2025
    • Close December 19, 2025
    • Decisions by January 15, 2026
  • Fall Cohorts:
    • Open April 13, 2026
    • Close April 22, 2026
    • Decisions by May 5, 2026

*Note: The process outlined above is for ‘Hub Recommended Teams’. Researchers or teams that have prior NSF lineage can apply directly to the NSF National I-Corps program. If you are unsure about your potential NSF lineage, contact us.