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

智力优势：该项目在罗切斯特大学创建了一个NSF i-Corps站点。NSF创新团队(i-Corps)站点是由NSF资助的实体，成立于大学，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移到市场或成为i-Corps团队的申请者。一个典型的i-Corps站点的资金约为每年10万美元，最长可达三年。网站资金被学术机构用来催化团队(金额从1,000美元到3,000美元不等)，这些团队的技术概念可能是商业化的候选者。工地团队的组成模仿i-Corps团队的组成，工地的教育分享i-Corps课程的原则。在网站的支持和指导下，团队将第一手学习创业知识，并探索将他们的想法、设备、流程或其他智力活动转化为市场。I-Corps网站还加强了当地和地区的创新，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了贡献。这个i-Corps网站将利用罗切斯特大学在融合技术与创业精神方面的优势和过去的成功。这一努力利用了UR的研究和商业化基础，这是一个由内部和外部专家组成的网络，用于培训和指导STEM领域的创业型教师和学生团队。罗切斯特大学90名教师和学生团队的招聘和选择建立在一个经过验证的过程基础上，用于选择项目，确定推动技术发展的必要资源，以及基于NSF I-Corps方法的课程模式，以帮助确定可行的商业模式和产品。罗切斯特大学I-Corps网站利用创业中心(CFE)作为大学中心，利用UR Ventures，该大学的技术转移部门，以及高科技罗切斯特(HTR)等组织，提供技术企业家创业形成指导、培训和孵化器空间。该计划包括五个要素：研讨会、指导、项目资金、客户发现和社区支持，包括孵化器空间。广泛影响：自2002年以来，该大学帮助成立了50多家初创公司。I-Corps站点计划将使这些研究人员能够继续沿着这条轨道前进，使他们能够调查他们的科学成果在现实世界中的应用。I-Corps Site计划为该大学提供了必要的工具，以评估NSF资助的研究所产生的创新，开始将这些进步从工作台转移到床边的过程，并为研究人员和学生提供额外的商业化培训。将支持90多个学生团队，并努力挑选和招募有女性和少数族裔参与者的团队。

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.