I-Corps Sites: Southeastern Wisconsin - Enhancing Regional Technology Commercialization

University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee WI

Investigators

Abstract

This project creates an I-Corps Site at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Sites are NSF-funded entities established at universities whose purpose is to nurture and support multiple, local teams to transition their technology concepts into the marketplace. Sites provide infrastructure, advice, resources, networking opportunities, training and modest funding to enable groups to transition their work into the marketplace or into becoming I-Corps Team applicants. I-Corps Sites also strengthen innovation locally and regionally and contribute to the National Innovation Network of mentors, researchers, entrepreneurs and investors. To help Wisconsin grow its economy, UWM and regional partners launched an NSF I-Corps site to enhance technology commercialization in southeastern Wisconsin. This site leverages the existing partnerships among five regional universities: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Marquette University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Medical College of Wisconsin, and Concordia University of Wisconsin. Southeastern Wisconsin has over 1,200 manufacturing companies with national and international markets and partnerships covering the entire globe across most industry segments. By establishing the site, a robust framework is created for I-Corps team formation and development, thereby increasing the volume of commercialization activities and success rates in securing resources needed for business formation and development. The UWM site addresses three important needs of academic institutions and industry in Southeastern Wisconsin: (1) a need to increase the activity level related to commercialization of applied academic research and faculty/student innovation, (2) a need to build an innovation/commercialization network that would provide multifaceted support to faculty and/or student ventures, and (3) a need to broaden the pool of students and faculty fluent in LLP methodology. UWM leveraged Federal Economic Development Authority support by investing $8M in building the Innovation Accelerator at the new UWM Innovation Campus adjacent to the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), the Blood Research Institute of Wisconsin, two major Wisconsin hospitals, and GE Healthcare. The accelerator is used to achieve the site's curricular objectives. It satisfies low-resolution and more advanced prototyping needs of the teams working in the healthcare domain and provides a focus point for collaboration between MCW and UWM. Teams working in the advanced manufacturing domain leverage Milwaukee School of Engineering and UWM facilities and resources. The Global Water Center provides support for freshwater teams, while the UWM main campus is the hub for energy research teams. The UWM Research Foundation manages the site and coordinate the network. The broader societal impact of the proposed site include an increased volume of innovative technologies and solutions brought to consumers to solve problems in healthcare, energy, freshwater and other areas. The Site partners with existing outreach programs within member institutions. The commercial impact of the UWM I-Corps Site will be measured by the number of teams and participants going through the LLP process, the number and value of submitted federal/state/local grant proposals, the success rate of submitted proposals, the capital raised, the number of startups launched, the number of technology licenses, and the number of new research collaborations between cohort teams and team members - all which benefit the region and the nation.