I-Corp Sites: University of Rochester - Catalyzing the Commercialization of Groundbreaking Innovations with Regional Entrepreneurial Expertise

知识价值：该项目在罗彻斯特大学创建了一个NSF I-Corps站点。美国国家科学基金会创新队（I-Corps）站点是由美国国家科学基金会资助的实体，建立在大学里，其目的是培养和支持多个本地团队，将他们的技术概念转化为市场。网站提供基础设施、建议、资源、网络机会、培训和适度的资金，使团体能够将他们的工作转化为市场或成为I-Corps团队的申请人。一个典型的I-Corps站点每年获得大约10万美元的资助，为期三年。Site资金由学术机构用于催化团队（金额从1,000美元到3,000美元不等），其技术概念可能被商业化。各基地的团队组成以I-Corps团队的组成为蓝本，各基地的教育也遵循I-Corps课程的原则。在网站的支持和指导下，参赛团队将学习第一手的创业知识，并探索如何将他们的想法、设备、流程或其他智力活动转化为市场。I-Corps站点还加强地方和区域创新，并为由导师、研究人员、企业家和投资者组成的国家创新网络做出贡献。这个I-Corps网站将利用罗切斯特大学的优势和过去在融合技术与创业方面的成功经验。这项工作利用了大学的研究和商业化基地，一个由内部和外部专家组成的网络，为在STEM领域工作的创业教师和学生团队提供培训和指导。90个教师和学生团队的招募和选择是建立在一个经过验证的项目选择过程，确定必要的资源来推进技术，以及一个基于国家科学基金会I-Corps方法的课程模型，以帮助确定可行的商业模式和产品。罗彻斯特大学I-Corps网站利用创业中心（CFE）作为大学中心，利用大学的技术转让部门UR Ventures和高科技罗彻斯特（HTR）等组织，为技术企业家提供商业形成指导、培训和孵化器空间。该计划包括五个要素：研讨会、指导、项目融资、客户发现和社区支持（包括孵化器空间）。更广泛的影响：自2002年以来，大学已协助成立了50多家创业公司。I-Corps Site项目将使这些研究人员能够继续沿着这条轨迹，使他们能够研究他们的科学成果在现实世界中的应用。I-Corps现场项目为大学提供了必要的工具，以评估由NSF资助的研究产生的创新，开始将这些进步从台式转移到床边的过程，并为研究教师和学生提供额外的商业化培训。将支持90多个学生团队，并将努力选拔和招募有妇女和少数民族参与者的团队。

Intellectual Merit:This project creates an NSF I-Corps Site at the University of Rochester.NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Sites are NSF-funded entities established at universities whose purpose is to nurture and support multiple, local teams to transition their technology concepts into the marketplace. Sites provide infrastructure, advice, resources, networking opportunities, training and modest funding to enable groups to transition their work into the marketplace or into becoming I-Corps Team applicants. A typical I-Corps Site is funded for approximately $100,000 per year for up to three years. The Site funding is used to by academic institutions to catalyze teams (with amounts ranging from $1,000 to $3,000) whose technology concepts are likely candidates for commercialization. The make-up of teams at the Sites is modeled after the composition of I-Corps Teams, and education at the Sites shares the principles of the I-Corps Curriculum. With the support and mentorship of the Sites, the teams will learn first-hand about entrepreneurship and explore the transition of their ideas, devices, processes or other intellectual activities into the marketplace. I-Corps Sites also strengthen innovation locally and regionally and contribute to the National Innovation Network of mentors, researchers, entrepreneurs and investors.This I-Corps Site will take advantage of University of Rochester's strengths and past successes in fusing technology with entrepreneurship. This effort utilizes UR's research and commercialization base, a network of internal and external experts to train and mentor entrepreneurial faculty and student teams working in STEM fields. The recruitment and selection of 90 faculty and student teams is built on a proven process for selecting projects, identifying the necessary resources to advance the technology, and a curricular model based on the NSF I-Corps approach to aid in identification of viable business models and products.The University of Rochester I-Corps Site takes advantage of the Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE) as a university hub leveraging UR Ventures, the university's technology transfer arm, and organizations such as High Tech Rochester (HTR), that provide technology entrepreneur business formation coaching, training and incubator space. The program includes five elements: workshops, mentoring, funding for projects, customer discovery, and community support to include incubator space.Broader Impacts:Since 2002, the University has assisted in the launch of over 50 startup companies. The I-Corps Site program will enable these researchers to continue along this trajectory by enabling them to investigate the real world applications of their scientific achievements. The I-Corps site program provides the University with the necessary tools to assess the innovations that have resulted from NSF funded research, begin the process of transferring these advancements from the bench-top to the bedside, and provide additional commercialization training to research faculty and students. Over 90 student teams will be supported and efforts will be made to select and recruit teams with women and minority participants.