The Penn Center for Innovation is proud to announce that the University of Pennsylvania is one of the schools chosen to participate in the National Science Foundation’s new innovative I-Corps Hub initiative.
The I-Corps Hubs are a network of universities that support researchers as they learn how to translate fundamental research to the marketplace. The Hubs form the new operational backbone of the National Innovation Network, a network of universities, NSF-funded researchers, established entrepreneurs, local and regional entrepreneurial communities, and other federal agencies that will work collaboratively to build and sustain a diverse and inclusive innovation ecosystem throughout the U.S.
The Mid-Atlantic Hub is led by the University of Maryland at College Park, and includes, Penn, Carnegie Mellon University, George Washington University, Howard University, Johns Hopkins University, North Carolina State University, Penn State, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Virginia Tech. Nationwide, there are five regional Hubs in this founding cohort, with more Hubs and participating schools expected to be added in 2022.
The I-Corps Program addresses the skill and knowledge gaps associated with the transformation of basic research into deep technology ventures. Successful startups that have participated in I-Corps include:
Penn is now accepting applications for the next I-Corps cohort to begin in October 2021. Teams will receive up to $2,000 to support their startup through more customer discovery. Apply online at pci.upenn.edu/icorps