I-Corps Sites: Maturation of Innovations from Idea Generation to Commercialization at the University of New Hampshire

这是一个在新罕布什尔大学（UNH）创建I-Corps Site的项目。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。UNH的I-Corps网站使教师、研究人员和学员能够探索他们发现的商业潜力。精益启动平台（LLP）课程的应用，智力网络活动，获得商业和科学导师的机会，以及资助机制，帮助参与者确定商业化的关键路径，以及更有效地将创新理念推向市场的方法。UNH Innovation是UNH主要负责创业活动和技术商业化的单位，它主持了I-Corps网站。UNH现有的商业化基础设施得到协调，以增加研究可以快速暴露于I-Corps计划的可能性。每年至少有30个I-Corps小组接受培训并参加联合国大学飞轮进程。这一创新过程的亮点包括：(1)接触为期四周的精益发射台（LLP）课程，重点是客户发现和价值主张；(2)为期10周的LLP课程，可以接触到整个商业模式画布；(3)展示创意的演示日；(4)每年举行两次的沙坑会议，邀请多个主题专家就一般主题进行公开讨论，以促进跨学科和跨学科的对话。有前途的项目与商业导师联系，有资格获得新的转化资金，并有机会进入当地孵化器和天使/风险资本网络，以加速创意进入市场。I-Corp网站的实施构成了对生态系统的重新设计，从而在UNH 1.1亿美元的研究投资组合中增加跨学科和跨学科的合作，并与必要的可用资源建立联系，以确保发现能够发挥其经济和社会潜力。为了评估这种重新设计的影响，该提案包含了一种创新的方案评估方法。在跟踪发明披露、许可和创业活动等成熟指标的同时，UNH还跟踪定性和社交网络指标，以帮助评估UNH的更深层次变化。美国创新生态系统。这种更强大的测量方法不仅有助于未来改进UNH的创新生态系统，而且还提高了UNH的可扩展性和可移植性。”I-Corps网站到国家创新网络。UNH网站的影响超越了教师和学生对LLP课程的接触和访问。由于UNH的研究和校园商业化文化的改善，创业公司的形成和就业机会的创造得到了扩大。UNH飞轮过程(1)使地区和国家商界接触到UNH？(2)加强学院与产业界的研究合作；(3)改善研究生与当地商界之间的联系。该项目与校园内现有的组织合作，如女性工程师协会、Luna Cats、UNH ADVANCE、UNH全国黑人工程师协会分会，以及社区、公平和多样性助理副总裁，以确保项目的招聘和注册得到充分宣传，并扩大未被充分代表的群体在商业化中的参与。

This is a project creates an I-Corps Site at the University of New Hampshire (UNH).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. UNH's I-Corps Site enables faculty researchers and trainees to explore the commercial potential of their discoveries. The application of the Lean Launchpad (LLP) curriculum, intellectual networking events, access to business and scientific mentors, and funding mechanisms help participants in identifying the critical path to commercialization and ways to reach the market with innovative ideas more efficiently. UNH Innovation, which is the unit primarily responsible for entrepreneurial activities and technology commercialization at UNH, hosts the I-Corps Site.UNH's existing commercialization infrastructure is coordinated to increase the likelihood that research can be quickly exposed to the I-Corps program. At least 30 I-Corps Teams are trained each year and participate in the UNH Flywheel process. Highlights of this innovative process include: (1) Exposure to a four-week Lean Launch Pad (LLP) course focusing on customer discovery and value proposition; (2) A 10-week LLP course with exposure to the entire business model canvas; (3) A demo day to showcase ideas; and (4) Twice-yearly Sandpits, where multiple subject matter experts are invited to an open discussion on a general topic to promote interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary conversations. Promising projects are connected to business mentors, are eligible for new translational funding, and are provided access to local incubator and angel/venture capital networks to accelerate market entry of ideas.Implementation of this I-Corp Site constitutes a redesign of the ecosystem in such a way as to increase interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary collaboration throughout UNH's $110MM research portfolio, and develop connections to available resources necessary to ensure that discoveries fulfill their economic and social potential. To assess the impact of this redesign, this proposal contains an innovative approach to program assessment. While tracking well-established metrics such as invention disclosures, licenses, and startup activity, UNH also tracks qualitative and social network measures to help assess deeper changes in UNH?s innovation ecosystem. This more robust measurement approach not only assists in future improvements in UNH's innovation ecosystem, but also increases the scalability and transferability of lessons learned and insights gained at UNH?' I-Corps Site to the national innovation network.The UNH Site impacts transcend exposure to and access by faculty and students to LLP coursework. Startup formation and job creation are expanded as a direct result of UNH research and an improved culture of commercialization on campus. The UNH Flywheel process (1) exposes the regional and national business communities to UNH?s research capacity, (2) increases research collaborations between faculty and industry; and (3) improves connections between graduate students and the local business community. The program works with existing organizations on campus like the Society for Women Engineers, Luna Cats, UNH ADVANCE, UNH chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, and the Associate Vice President for Community, Equity, and Diversity to ensure recruitment and enrollment for programs is well advertised and broadens the participation of underrepresented cohorts in commercialization.