Faculty Resources
Resources For Faculty
At OIE, we support GW faculty in bringing their ideas and expertise beyond the classroom. Whether you want to commercialize your research, integrate innovation into your teaching, or find funding to move your work forward, our programs and resources are designed to fit your goals and stage of interest. OIE connects faculty with mentorship, training, and pathways to real-world impact.
Programs For...
For faculty interested in bringing innovation into the classroom, understanding what OIE offers, or learning a new skill set. These programs make it easy to integrate entrepreneurial thinking and real-world problem solving into your teaching and research.
- Introduction to Lean Innovation Webinar (ILI)
Designed for early-stage innovators, this monthly webinar teaches you the fundamentals of the Lean Startup methodology, customer discovery, and early-stage commercialization. You’ll learn how successful innovators begin - not by building, but by listening. ILI focuses on understanding real customer needs through conversations, a core practice in Lean Startup, Design Thinking, and Agile Development.
Open to the GW community, this session is perfect for anyone exploring new ideas, transforming research, or building a venture.
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- Classroom Innovation Modules
Classroom Innovation Modules bring entrepreneurial thinking directly into GW courses, giving students the chance to tackle real-world challenges through applied innovation in an educational environment.
For faculty, these short-form, team-based exercises integrate seamlessly into existing courses. OIE collaborates with instructors to tailor the content, duration, and delivery to fit specific learning goals.
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- Innovator’s Academy
A extra-curricular, multi-level program that equips participants with the skills, mindset, and support to move from idea to implementation.
Through hands-on workshops and mentorship, participants earn recognition and unlock exclusive resources and opportunities across GW’s innovation ecosystem.
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For faculty looking to translate research into real-world impact, these programs provide guidance, mentorship, and pathways to move ideas from the lab to the marketplace.
- National I-Corps at GW
GW is a founding partner of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s I-Corps™ program, a seven-week, hands-on training that helps innovators assess and advance the commercial viability of their deep-tech ideas.
GW has supported students, faculty, staff, alumni, and regional technology entrepreneurs through its leadership in the NSF Mid-Atlantic Hub.
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- Mentorship
Get one-on-one guidance through mentorship at OIE through our Mentors-in-Residence (MIRs) program. Our mentors offer stage-specific support with office hours, check-ins, and milestone-based feedback.
Whether you’re exploring an idea or growing your venture, they’ll help you move forward with clarity and confidence!
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- Lean Startup Short Course
The Lean Startup Short Course is a virtual, three-week bootcamp that helps innovators test the real-world potential of their ideas. Through customer discovery, participants identify target segments, validate value propositions, and explore go-to-market strategies.
By engaging directly with potential customers, you’ll gain practical insights into their needs and learn how to shape your innovation into a viable solution.
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- Industry Advisory Panels
GW’s Industry Advisory Panels give advanced teams an equity-free opportunity to grow their ventures with guidance from investors, entrepreneurs, and industry experts.
Hosted quarterly by OIE, panels provide strategic feedback on business models, go-to-market plans, and scaling strategies. Teams leave with a customized milestone roadmap to guide their next steps.
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- SBIR/STTR Grant Application Support
GW’s Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship provides guidance for students, faculty, and researchers pursuing Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants. These highly competitive federal programs offer non-dilutive funding to turn early-stage research and innovations into real-world products and ventures.
innovate
gwu [dot] edu (Contact Us)Image
FAQ
- Can I refer students to OIE?
Yes, we encourage you to refer students to OIE’s programs, regardless of what field of study or stage of development they are in. We have resources that can accommodate anyone interested in innovation & entrepreneurship. Here is a student resource page that you can share with them.
- What counts as a commercializable idea?
A commercializable idea is one that has the potential to become a viable product, service, or technology that can enter the market and generate value. At GW, we define this as a venture or concept that:
- Has been explored and refined through mentorship (such as meetings with a Mentor-in-Residence) and programming offered by the Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (OIE)
- Demonstrates strong market potential through validation, problem-solution fit, and a clear customer segment
- May include deep tech, research-driven, or IP-based innovations that are ready to move toward licensing, startup creation, or scaling
- How does I-Corps differ from SBIR?
I-Corps helps you validate if your innovation solves a real problem that customers care about. It’s focused on customer discovery and early market validation. You’ll conduct interviews, refine your value proposition, and determine if there’s a market before building anything.
SBIR/STTR provides federal funding to help you develop, test, and commercialize your validated technology. It supports technical R&D and product development—but only after you've confirmed the market need.
At GW, OIE and the Technology Commercialization Office can guide you through both. Start with I-Corps to strengthen your SBIR proposal.
- Who can guide me through the IP and patent process at GW?
OIE works with the Technology Commercialization Office and other external partners to assist teams with their IP and patenting needs. Reach out to innovate
gwu [dot] edu (innovate[at]gwu[dot]edu).