The NSF I-Corps and Lean Startup curricula promote early-stage startup techniques which identify customers, validate value propositions, and build successful business models for commercialization. I-Corps at GW is open to all faculty, students, staff, and regional science and technology entrepreneurs with innovations or inventions that have commercial potential.
Since 2013, we have received $3.2 million in funding from the National Science Foundation I-Corps program. From 2022 through 2027, we will receive another $3 million through the I-Corps Hubs program. We have sent 23 teams to National I-Corps since 2012 and those teams have received $1.2 million in additional funding support.
"I-Corps was truly transformative when I was at GW, and first starting up Nanochon. It helped us change our mindset from solving a ‘scientific problem’ to a real world customer need, and helped us quickly network with early collaborators, advisers and stakeholders."
Benjamin Holmes
Nanochon
Introduction to Lean Innovation Workshops
Held regularly each month, the Introduction to Lean Innovation (ILI) workshops are free, virtual and open webinars geared toward early-stage innovators or individuals with only some prior knowledge of entrepreneurship. We provide an overview of the customer discovery process, as well as the basics of commercialization. This year, we held 15 Introduction to Lean Innovation workshops with 500+ registrants from all over the world. Register for one here.
Milestone-Based Mentoring at GW
We have pioneered new, milestone-based mentoring programs which provide long-term support to innovators throughout the commercialization process. Our Mentors-in-Residence guide teams through the customer discovery journey — meeting innovators before they even have a finalized idea, and continuing with them throughout commercialization, as part of a long-term relationship. Mentors provide consistent oversight and direction, evaluating progress milestones and assisting in interpreting market signals. They help teams develop strong, validated business models, minimum viable products and go-to-market strategies, preparing them for acceleration and investment.
Using this milestone-based foundation, we have developed programs on the local, regional and international levels, working with partners to maximize the reach of our mentorship offerings while building integrated early-stage innovation ecosystems.