I-Corps Site at Carnegie Mellon University: A Model Promoting University Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Regional Growth

Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Abstract

The goal of the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) I-Corps Site, led by the campus-wide Carnegie Mellon Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), is to implement a systematic and replicable agile startup methodology, focused on customer discovery and product adaptation. The CMU I-Corps Site leverages Carnegie Mellon's strengths and past successes in fusing technology with entrepreneurship. Their Site utilizes CMU's network of internal and external contacts to train entrepreneurial faculty and student teams working in STEM fields. CMU's curricular model is based on the i6 Agile Innovation System and is consistent with the I-Corps Curriculum. It includes four elements: workshops, mentoring, funding for projects and customer discovery, and incubator space. The objectives of the CMU Site are to: 1) capitalize on CMU's culture of innovation by expanding programs to nurture entrepreneurial ventures and transition university research to the market; 2) train individuals to understand basic motivations, processes, practices, and challenges of innovation and entrepreneurship; 3) hone individuals' entrepreneurial practices and skills; 4) collaborate with industry, entrepreneurs, and the business community in the region and nation. The CMU program will recruit teams from: existing entrepreneurial activities, course projects, college liaisons, and an open call. Underrepresented groups will be especially encouraged to apply. Teams will be encouraged to avail themselves of enrichment opportunities such as funding avenues, venture competitions, and business events. Each team will have an Entrepreneurial Lead, an Academic Lead, and a Mentor. The assessment plan focuses on ascertaining the most effective components of an agile university entrepreneurship training program. Teams' milestones and customer contacts will be tracked. Formative assessment using tools such as pre-, mid-, and post-program surveys will inform the CMU program evolution. Of particular merit is this proposed Site's agile and adaptable customer-based training program, components of which have been shown to be successful in programs such as the i6 Agile Innovation System and the I-Corps Curriculum/Lean Launch Pad. Combining these components -- and then distilling through assessment and evaluation which of them are especially effective at spurring creativity, resourcefulness, independence, and connectivity -- will further entrepreneurial knowledge and education. The program will also teach entrepreneurial students and faculty how to create their own ecosystem by engaging in customer discovery and network building. The CMU I-Corps Site plans to move university research out of the lab more efficiently and effectively. Expediting the movement of academic innovation to the commercial sector allows new, often government-funded, university discoveries and inventions to reach the public sector earlier spawning new endeavors and economic growth. All sectors of society and areas of inquiry -- healthcare, energy, sustainability, global communication, for example, can see benefits. In addition, making earlier decisions about viability of commercial outcomes is beneficial as it can more effectively utilize critical resources --time, energy, talent, and funds. In addition, a successful Site will likely impact the Pittsburgh, Steel Valley, and Allegheny Valley communities.