Great things are ahead for the I-Corps network! This was the recurring message shared during the National Innovation Network meeting held in early June, an annual gathering of leaders in university research-based innovation.
In her welcome message to the more than 230 attendees gathered in Washington, DC, the largest in-person I-Corps NIN gathering yet, Ruth Shuman, Program Director for I-Corps at the National Science Foundation (NSF) said, “This is not an exclusive, members only club. We are adding new institutions to the I-Corps network.” She joked, “Hopefully we’ll need a bigger ballroom next year!”
Shuman described how the NSF was seeking to expand the program with two new Hubs in 2024. She also shared her excitement for how the I-Corps’ curriculum committee had evolved. “We have a diverse group that represents new thinking, and I think we are making things better and better.”
Throughout the day, speakers returned to the focus on exploring the intersection of geographically impactful initiatives, commercialization strategies, and translating research into market-ready solutions, and the impact this all has on the success of I-Corps nationally.
The theme of last year’s meeting was “Building Capacity in the NIN,” and Shuman described how the Hubs had significantly expanded their capacity nationwide over the past year. “When we were doing our site visits, I shared with the Hubs that I wanted them to think about what’s most important in their regions and use that as a guiding principle. Every Hub is different and that is a strength.” Finally, Shuman shared that there would be some big changes coming to I-Corps over the next few years.
The positive message continued with a welcome from Molly Wasko and Jaime Camelio, new NSF I-Corps Program Directors. Wasko said, “We are happy to see Hubs running their own full business model canvas, seven-week cohorts because it gives teams that are interested in participating in a full seven-week program, but do not meet the eligibility criteria for the NSF I-Corps National program, another pathway forward.” She added, “I-Corps is a gateway grant, it’s an accessible grant for faculty and students.”
A representative from each of the Hubs nationwide provided a topline review to the gathering of latest developments and activities. In her presentation about the New York I-Corps Hub, led by CUNY, Ariella Trotsenko, director of entrepreneurial training within the CUNY Office of Applied Research, shared how the NY Hub continues to broaden participation, including utilizing a storyteller-in-residence to raise awareness of companies formed because of NSF I-Corps and I-Corps instructor stories. This initiative aids in the development of entrepreneur’s storytelling skills, an effort unique to the New York Hub, and supporting local diversity initiatives such as the Mount Sinai Medical School Diversity Innovation Hub, the Rockefeller Equity Building Fellow Program and DEI Microgrant Program, and the NYU Female+ Founder Fellowship.
Next up was a focus on best practices to help unlock the regional impact of I-Corps Hubs. Three presenters shared how the Hub had helped their geographic zone. Among them, Cira Cardaci, manager of the NY I-Corps Hub, presented highlights from the SUITED (Supporting Undergraduate Institutions in Technology and Entrepreneurship Development), a two-part workshop funded by NSF, which focuses on facilitating the progress of research from academic labs at predominantly undergraduate institutions (PUIs) where there may not be a strong tradition of technology transfer to the marketplace.
The day concluded with a series of breakout sessions. Trotsenko, Cardaci, and Nhi Tran, project coordinator of the NY Hub, led a session on new tools to help improve outcomes for regional cohorts, including the impact of using its original, proprietary course management tool, In Your Ecosystem (IYE) in regional and national programs to help increase participation and deliver meaningful outcomes.
The first day gathering concluded with evening networking around research posters from each Hub, from across the country. The NY I-Corps Hub showcased data across four projects, including outcomes from the first Hub-led SBIR/STTR National cohort, led by John Blaho, director of Industrial-Applied Research at CUNY. Additionally, Jin Chen and Nhi Tran of CUNY and Vitor F. M. Ferreira of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) presented posters analyzing the impact of I-Corps at their institutions.
The second day of the conference showcased a fireside chat with Dr. Erwin Gianchandani assistant director of the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) and Dr. Barry Johnson, division director, Division of Translational Impacts, TIP, who shared their goal of using I-Corps to expand opportunity for high tech innovators. That was followed by six working group meetings for all participants, from Hub Council directors to I-Corps instructors, to review current initiatives, challenges, and plans in more detail. Each working group also offered an opportunity for representatives to report on activities. Frank Rimalovski, Executive Director, Innovation Venture Fund & Entrepreneurial Institute at NYU, provided the Faculty Lead report-out on behalf of the NY Hub, sharing best practices for increasing faculty participation in I-Corps.
The annual meeting ended with closing remarks from Ruth Shuman and the Hub Council co-chairs reaffirming the goals of further regional expansion and strategies to increase participation and impact.