I-Corps Sites: Type I - An Innovation Corps Site at UMass Amherst

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This NSF I-Corps Site at the University of Massachusetts Amherst engages STEM faculty and students in a robust training program in early-stage technology commercialization and entrepreneurship. 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.The NSF I-Corps Site at the University of Massachusetts Amherst introduces the Lean Launchpad methodology and facilitates customer discovery experiences in accord with the NSF's Innovation Corps program while connecting participants to industry and venture development resources. Diversity and inclusion considerations are integrated into both recruitment and curriculum, with the goal of broadening and nurturing the participation of females and underrepresented minorities in STEM entrepreneurship. The Site's goals are to increase campus startups and other innovation outcomes, improve and enrich the existing campus innovation infrastructure, and provide economic development and jobs to the cities and rural areas of Western Massachusetts.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.