I-Corps Node: DC, Maryland, Virginia Region

项目描述：这项工作涉及通过马里兰大学学院园区(UMD)、乔治华盛顿大学(GWU)和弗吉尼亚理工大学(VT)的合作伙伴关系在DC/MD/VA(DMV)地区创建和实施i-Corps区域节点。机动车管理局节点毗邻华盛顿特区充满活力的创业研发生态系统，为国家i-Corps网络提供了一套宝贵的资源。该节点利用这三个机构各自的优势，帮助指导将科学发现转化为造福社会的技术和产品。它正在实施两项旨在提高参赛团队成功率的计划：(1)建立正式的DMV i-Corps导师网络，旨在吸引、培训和留住顶尖导师；(2)提供i-Corps后支持计划，以帮助团队开展一系列后续活动(例如，持续的客户开发、最低可行的产品原型制作、技术转让和许可、筹款、法律服务和招聘高管人才)。该节点正在实施一个在线节点网络(ONN)，该网络将现有工具(如LinkedIn、YouTube、Google Docs、Quora、LaunchPad Central)捆绑在一起并加以增强；满足对i-Corps团队的性质特别有价值的需求。ONN聚合了丰富的内容，使i-Corps用户社区更容易访问这些内容。它还使导师网络能够汇集并与多个i-Corps团队共享他们的专业知识。此外，该节点正在研究I-Corps培训在以下方面的影响：(1)对公司创建方向的任何调整，(2)达到初步盈利的团队的比例，(3)达到初始盈利所需的时间，以及(4)在启动过程中花费的资源(时间、金钱)。更广泛的意义：除了为NSF团队队列提供培训外，DMV节点还管理着一个地区性DMV I-Corps计划，该计划旨在三年内再培训150个团队。在美国研发支出排名前200的大学中，有35所大学距离机动车管理局的节点只有4小时的车程。该节点专注于吸引来自这些顶尖地区学术机构以及许多联邦和州研究实验室的团队，这些实验室是机动车管理局地区独有的(例如，NASA、NIH、ARPA-E)。该节点还通过与工程和科学公司少数群体研究生学位联盟的合作，让少数群体参与和HBCU的比例偏低。它正在实施一项创业板认可的倡议，以提高对研究商业化机会的认识。小额赠款正被提供给有前途的HBCU团队，以提供创新培训。该节点还利用DMV的导师网络来支持HBCU团队。

Project Description:This effort involves the creation and implementation of an I-Corps Regional Node in DC/MD/VA (DMV) region through a partnership involving the University of Maryland College Park (UMD), the George Washington University (GWU), and Virginia Tech (VT). The proximity of the DMV node to the Washington, DC area's vibrant entrepreneurial R&D ecosystem is providing a valuable set of resources to the national I-Corps network. The node is leveraging the respective strengths of the three institutions to help guide the transition of scientific discoveries into technologies and products that benefit society. It is implementing two initiatives that are specifically designed to increase the success rate of participating teams: (1) establishing a formal DMV I-Corps Mentor Network designed to attract, train, and retain top-notch mentors and (2) offering a post I-Corps Support program to help teams with a series of follow-on activities (e.g., continued customer development, minimum viable product prototyping, technology transfer and licensing, fundraising, legal services, and hiring executive talent). The node is implementing an Online Nodal Network (ONN) that ties together and augments existing tools (e.g., LinkedIn, YouTube, Google Docs, Quora, LaunchPad Central); addressing the needs that are particularly valuable to the nature of I-Corps teams. The ONN aggregates rich content and makes it more readily accessible to the I-Corps user community. It further enables the mentor network to pool and share their expertise with multiple I-Corps teams. In addition, the node is studying the effect of I-Corps training on: (1) any adjustments in orientation toward firm creation, (2) the proportion of teams that reach initial profitability, (3) the time required to reach initial profitability, and (4) the resources expended (time, money) in the start-up process.Broader Significance:In addition to providing training to NSF team cohorts, the DMV node is managing a Regional DMV I-Corps program that is designed to train an additional 150 teams over a three-year period. Thirty-five of the top two hundred U.S. universities in R&D expenditures are within a 4-hour drive of the DMV node. The node is focusing on attracting teams from these top regional academic institutions, as well as from the many federal and state research labs that are unique to the DMV region (e.g., NASA, NIH, ARPA-E). The node is also engaging underrepresented minority participation and HBCUs through cooperation with the Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc. (GEM) consortium. It is implementing a GEM-endorsed initiative to increase the awareness of research commercialization opportunities. Small grants are being directed to promising HBCUs' teams in order to provide innovation training. The node is additionally leveraging the DMV's mentor network to support the HBCU teams.