I-Corps Sites: Type I - University of Maine I-Corps Site

University Of Maine, Orono ME

Investigators

Abstract

This project, at the University of Maine, establishes an Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Site at this institution. 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. With an I-Corps Sites designation at the University of Maine, its Foster Center builds upon the programming and the university's research and development activities to support campus-based teams. The Site's innovation training supports the commercialization of natural resource-based technologies that can have a significant impact on rural communities. Maine relies on a natural resource-based economy and the state adopts unique tactics to remain innovative. The UMaine I-Corps Site program fills a critical gap between awareness and training and more intensive support programs. Involving teams in the I-Corps Site at an early stage in the commercialization pathway increases the likelihood of success as these teams move into more intensive accelerator and incubation programs and the next step in the commercialization pathway. The Site acts as a "pre-accelerator" helping them understand the market opportunities for their technologies through customer discovery and competitive and patentability analysis. While supporting rural economic growth, the I-Corps Site also supports the full inclusion of women in entrepreneurship with a campus research center focused on recruiting, retaining, and advancing women faculty. Campus resources for women researchers are utilized and expanded with resources from I-Corps. The Foster Center incorporates training to help women entrepreneurs reach commercialization. The Foster Center has a strong history of promoting female entrepreneurship, and four out of five teams currently participating in the Center's Accelerator program are led by women. Notably, the I-Corps Site will be led by two successful and experienced female innovators. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.