MIT in Portland for NSF iCorp

Interested in Translating your Research into Practice?

Working on or Considering a Technology-based Startup?

Explore taking your new technology to the marketplace

Get free training, support, and up to $1,500 to identify customers

Learn how to apply for up to $50,000 from the NSF

Increase your chances of receiving an SBIR/STTR award

New England I-Corps is partnering with The Innovation Cohort at Maine Medical, along with the organizations shown below, to offer a free 3-week program from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help researchers, scientists and engineers explore the potential applications of their new technologies.

Program Dates:

Program Kick-Off: February 25, 2020, 5:30pm – 8:30pm

Final Presentations: March 18, 2020, 5:30pm – 8:30pm

Kick-Off Location: Abromson Community Education Center, 88 Bedford St. Portland, ME 04101 Abromson Hall Room 214/215

How it works:

The interactive course begins with an in-person evening kickoff workshop where teams learn how to:

• Identify their top customer segments

• Develop hypotheses about the value proposition they offer each segment

• Find and effectively interview potential customers about their problems/needs

Over the next three weeks, teams will speak with 12 potential customers. Each week they have an office hour call with instructors to check-in and receive coaching.

The program wraps-up with a final in-person evening workshop where teams present their findings, get more coaching, and learn about progressing their ideas. Teams that complete this part of the program may apply for a $1,500 micro-grant to conduct additional customer discovery. The goal is to determine if they are solving a real-world problem with a viable market opportunity.

This short program is excellent preparation for the many other entrepreneurial opportunities in the New England region.

Who it’s for:

Your I-Corps project must be based on new, innovative, and differentiating technology that could be a candidate for a future SBIR proposal. The program is open to individuals and teams;

• Current faculty, postdocs, students and staff at any university/institution

• Anyone else working on a serious STEM-related technology

Expect to spend about 20 hours over the 3 weeks, mostly in the evenings and non-scheduled work time to complete the assignments.

Apply HERE no later than February 15th

To request more information contact: icorps@mit.edu