I-Corps Sites: Type I - University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez I-Corps Site

该项目由波多黎各大学马亚圭斯分校(UPRM)负责，在该机构建立了一个I-Corps网站。创新团队(i-Corps)网站是由NSF资助的实体，成立于大学，其目的是培育和支持多个当地团队，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。I-Corps网站还在当地和地区加强创新，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。波多黎各面临着严峻的经济形势。UPRM i-Corps网站在可能的解决方案空间中发挥作用，有助于发展一个强大的创新和创业生态系统，能够刺激将研究转化为商业化。UPRM的独特之处在于提供跨学科的教育体验，使他们的社区能够发现和开发市场机会。UPRM的校区有一所与工程学院积极合作的商学院。商业和经济发展中心(BEDC)是这次合作的中心，也是NSF I-Corps网站的所在地。该项目的主要目标是加速波多黎各研究人员和学生开发的新技术的商业化。为了实现这一目标，该网站为UPRM和扩展社区的创业团队(专注于STEM)提供客户发现(CD)培训、指导和适中的CD旅行资金。CD培训包括一个为期两周的讲习班，以国家i-Corps方案为基础，并根据UPRM的现场需求量身定做。指导由UPRM和外部创新生态系统合作伙伴提供，为期三到六个月，重点是努力实现I-Corps国家计划的申请、竞争SBIR拨款或技术的直接商业化。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project, from the University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez (UPRM), establishes and I-Corps Site at this institution. 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. I-Corps Sites also strengthen innovation locally and regionally and contribute to the National Innovation Network of mentors, researchers, entrepreneurs and investors.Puerto Rico faces an critical economic situation. The UPRM I-Corps Site, in playing a role in the possible solution spaces, contributes to developing a strong innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem that can spur the translation of research into commercialization. UPRM is uniquely situated to provide an interdisciplinary educational experience that will allow their community to identify and exploit market opportunities. UPRM's campus has a Business School that actively collaborates with the Schools of Engineering. The Business and Economic Development Center (BEDC) is at the center of this collaboration and hosts the NSF I-Corps Site. The primary goal of this project is to accelerate the commercialization of new technologies developed by researchers and students located in Puerto Rico. To achieve this goal this Site provides customer discovery (CD) training, mentoring, and modest CD travel funds to entrepreneurial teams (focused on STEM) from UPRM and the extended community. The CD training consists of a two week workshop based on the national I-Corps program and tailored to the UPRM Site needs. Mentorship is provided by UPRM and external innovation ecosystem partners, and extends for a three to six month period, with a focus on working toward either application to the I-Corps National Program, competing for SBIR grants, or direct commercialization of the technology.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.