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NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps™) is sponsored by U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps™) program is an immersive, entrepreneurial training program that supports researchers interested in entrepreneurial education and mentoring to accelerate the transformation of invention to impact.
It focuses on experiential learning using the customer discovery process to help teams quickly assess the market potential of their inventions.
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National Teams Applicants - NSF I-Corps™ | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation National Teams Applicants National I-Corps Teams applicants A team accepted into the U.S. National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (I-Corps™) National Teams training program is eligible to be awarded up to $50,000, which supports the team’s program participation including stipends and expenses for virtual and in-person customer discovery.
Awardees must pay a participation fee (as a direct cost) to a third party that manages the NSF National I-Corps Teams training and logistics. The current participation fee is $10,000 and is paid through award funds. NSF will provide awardees with instructions for payment at the time of the award.
Through the seven-week program, teams engage with prospective customers, partners, and others in the ecosystem—evaluating the commercial potential for turning their technologies into successful products, processes and services. Submit an executive summary If you are eligible for national training but have not started the application process yet, submit an executive summary using the NSF I-Corps Teams Executive Summary Form.
Respond to the solicitation If you have already completed your interview with the I-Corps staff and have been invited to respond to the solicitation, do so at the link below. Form a team. Teams consist of three to five members, with each member playing a distinct role.
Technical lead: Typically, a faculty member who is the technology inventor and serves as principal investigator, or a postdoctoral researcher who has deep expertise in the core technology area to be evaluated for market potential. Entrepreneurial lead: Typically, a graduate student or postdoctoral researcher who leads the team and is committed to commercialization.
Industry mentor: An industry expert with business/entrepreneurial experience who is independent from the technology development and team. Teams may include additional members; however, they may not exceed five members.
Teams may also identify a principal investigator, or PI, of record — someone who submits the proposal, manages the award and is connected with the technology development but does not wish to participate in the training program. Submit an executive summary. Complete the NSF I-Corps Teams Executive Summary Form.
Connect with NSF. Once NSF has received your executive summary, the I-Corps staff will schedule an interview with your team to review your information, provide feedback, and determine if you are ready for the national program. Select your cohort .
After completing a successful interview, you will be invited to select the cohort that your team would like to attend. Be sure all team members are available to attend all I-Corps session dates and times. Submit your I-Corps proposal.
After successfully completing your interview, you will also be invited to submit an I-Corps proposal to NSF . Applicants must have a technology development connection to an institution of higher education as well as submit their application from an institution of higher education.
Applicants who have had an active NSF research award in the last five years in a relevant research area –– from any field of science or engineering are eligible to apply to the national I-Corps program.
Researchers who have not received a research award from NSF may earn eligibility to the national I-Corps program by first participating in a regional I-Corps program and receiving a letter of recommendation following completion of the program. Mandatory team commitments 100 Customer Interviews. Complete a minimum of 100 potential customer interviews during the seven-week training program.
Session Attendance. Attend all I-Corps sessions including the kick-off and closing meetings, weekly web sessions and office hours. All team members, including the team mentor, must attend all I-Corps sessions.
Customer Discovery. Follow the customer discovery process and other guidance given by the instructors. Explore Commercialization.
Commit to exploring the commercialization potential of your technology. Learn about I-Corps' contributions to training the scientific workforce, creating use-based technologies, and boosting the economy. Learn about I-Corps' impact The I-Corps training program has helped launch more than 1,000 startups.
Read about the remarkable work performed by our funded researchers and their role in fostering technology commercialization.
Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: Researchers from universities and other research institutions. Open to all researchers, including those outside the University of Utah (for some programs). Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission. Teams typically consist of academic researchers, student entrepreneurs, and business mentors. Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
Current published award information indicates Up to $50,000 (National Program) Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
The current target date is rolling deadlines or periodic funding windows. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, attachments, and final submission checks.
Federal grant success rates typically range from 10-30%, varying by agency and program. Build a strong proposal with clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and a well-justified budget to improve your chances.
Requirements vary by sponsor, but typically include a project narrative, budget justification, organizational capability statement, and key personnel CVs. Check the official notice for the complete list of required attachments.
Yes — AI tools like Granted can help research funders, draft proposal sections, and check compliance. However, always review and customize AI-generated content to reflect your organization's unique strengths and the specific requirements of the solicitation.
Review timelines vary by funder. Federal agencies typically take 3-6 months from submission to award notification. Foundation grants may be faster, often 1-3 months. Check the program's timeline in the official solicitation for specific dates.
Many federal programs offer multi-year funding or allow competitive renewals. Check the official solicitation for continuation and renewal policies. Non-competing continuation applications are common for multi-year awards.
Past winners and funding trends for this program
Engineering of Biomedical Systems (EBMS) Program is sponsored by U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The EBMS program supports fundamental and transformative research at the interface of engineering and biomedical sciences to solve biomedical problems. Projects should focus on high-impact, transformative methods and technologies, including the development of validated models (living or computational) of normal and pathological tissues and organ systems, and advanced biomanufacturing of three-dimensional tissues and organs.
Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE): Future Computing Research is sponsored by U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Supports research and education projects that develop new knowledge in all aspects of computing, communications, and information science and engineering through various programs, including Algorithmic Foundations (AF) and Software and Hardware Foundations (SHF).
Pathways to Enable Secure Open-Source Ecosystems (PESOSE) is sponsored by U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The PESOSE program supports the translation of open-source science and engineering-focused research products into safe and sustainable ecosystems that address national and societal challenges. It seeks proposals to scope and plan the establishment of an OSE, establish and expand a sustainable OSE, and improve the safety, security, and privacy of an existing OSE. This program is a successor to the POSE program.
Digital Cities' Innovation Accelerator Small Grant Program is sponsored by U.S. State Department's Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy (CDP). These small grants activate the private sector to deliver novel and innovative solutions to civic challenges. Projects must address a sub-national public service or infrastructure need AND incorporate trusted U.S. digital based solutions, empowering municipalities to improve public service delivery.
Research on Circular Economy, Smart Manufacturing, and Energy-Efficient Microelectronics is sponsored by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO). This funding opportunity supports innovative technology R&D across the manufacturing sector with a focus on circular economy, smart manufacturing, and energy-efficient microelectronics. While the stated deadline for full applications has passed, AMMTO frequently issues similar solicitations, and this highlights a relevant area of interest for the DOE.
AWS Imagine Grant program - Momentum to Modernize Award is sponsored by Amazon Web Services (AWS). This award provides funding for transformational infrastructure projects, helping nonprofit organizations enhance their core mission operations with technology. This includes foundational technology projects, such as migrating servers to the cloud and modernizing new and existing applications.