International Lean Start-up

Developed and Taught by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs.

The GW Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship has leveraged its expertise with the unique strengths of the largest research university in the nation's capital to foster innovation on a global level. GW is one of only eleven universities nationwide designated to run the prestigious National Science Foundation Innovation Corps™ Nodes (I-Corps).

With instructors who are all experienced entrepreneurs and venture capital investors,  we provide cutting-edge, customized instruction tailored to international audiences interested in both entering global markets and in applying the Lean Startup approach in their home markets. We work with diverse industry  and government entities, private sector innovators and university researchers to develop a clear understanding of what it takes to transition research and inventions to market.

Our Approach

Our full program is an intensive boot-camp for business model development. By forcing participants to get out of the laboratory and into the real world through actual customer development interviews and immediate feedback, participants become immersed testing their own assumptions and determining the precise market fit of their product.

Our goal is to foster an entrepreneurial mindset and impact innovation-design for success. We teach how to engage with potential customers, partners, and competitors in order to build a viable business model for your research or invention.

Our Location

International participants in our on-campus program are able to take advantage of being in the heart of Washington, D.C., leveraging our proximity to one of the fastest growing start-up markets in the United States and gaining access to policymakers, federal labs, and an international community. Offsite participants benefit from our deep bench of experience, international instructor corps who are willing to travel to your location.

"The KIC Start program we held through the GW International Lean Startup Program truly inspired our participants. It was a wonderful program that taught students the "how" of innovation with hypothesis and verification. They learned from the Lean Startup approach why they are doing their research – to help others solve their critical problems"

-Dr. Jay Kim, Director, General, Korea Innovation Center