Minnesota I-Corps Site (MIN-Corps): Catalyzing Innovation Through Collaboration

该项目支持明尼苏达大学（UMN）的I-Corps网站。该网站将为I-Corps创业团队提供基础设施、资源、联网机会、培训和适度资金。有了这笔赠款，UMN利用和扩展其在科学和工程，研究，创业教育和技术商业化方面的资产，以创建明尼苏达州创新队（MIN-Corps）。MIN-Corps将：1.扩大UMN对STEM研究人员（教师、博士后、研究生和本科生）的宣传，让更多的人参与到将发现和技术发展转化为可商业化产品的过程中。2.通过STARTUP培训创业人才，这是一门融合了精益LaunchPad概念和工具的课程。3.每年向大约30个参与课程并表现出潜力的创业团队提供适度的早期资金（1，000至3，000美元），弥合早期开发和转化为市场之间的资金差距。4.通过将团队与UMN和社区资源联系起来，支持正在进行的客户开发和商业化工作。5.利用研究专业知识，促进和支持整个国家I-Corps网络的合作计划评估和研究。通过与UMN STEM研究基地的团队合作，MIN-Corps将基于可持续的商业模式和以客户为中心的产品设计创建新的企业。MIN-Corps将准备团队，通过公共赠款和私人投资寻求后续资金。MIN-Corps将与利益相关者合作，在社区中产生更广泛的影响，包括：人才发展。MIN-Corps将扩大对支持STEM领域学生和教师创新和创业的资源的认识，特别是在妇女和代表性不足的群体中。通过STARTUP课程为高潜力创业团队成员提供的培训经验将提高他们在行业创新角色的准备程度，并在UMN的文化中注入更多的创业心态。网络开发。MIN-Corps将扩大UMN目前与当地创新生态系统中经验丰富的企业家、天使投资人和风险投资家的接触，在整个教育和商业化过程中担任导师。该计划还将帮助利用目前支持明尼苏达州创业和创新的个人和组织的能量，其中包括19家在该州安家的财富500强公司。MIN-Corps将提高基于STEM的创新转化为新商业企业的转化率，这些企业将获得NSF I-Corps，SBIR，NCIIA E-Teams，加速器，孵化器，竞赛，天使投资者和风险投资家的后续资金。该计划将通过扩大获得精益Launchpad培训和增加该州初创企业，企业家和高科技工作的数量来刺激经济繁荣。

This project supports an I-Corps Site at the University of Minnesota (UMN). The Site will provide infrastructure, resources, networking opportunities, training and modest funding to I-Corps entrepreneurial teams. With this grant, UMN leverages and extends its assets in science and engineering, research, entrepreneurship education, and technology commercialization to create the Minnesota Innovation Corps (MIN-Corps). MIN-Corps will: 1. Expand UMN's outreach to its STEM researchers - faculty, postdoctoral, graduate students, and undergraduates - to engage more of them in the process of translating discoveries and technological developments into commercializable products. 2. Train entrepreneurial talent through STARTUP, a course that incorporates the Lean LaunchPad concepts and tools. 3. Provide modest, early-stage funding ($1,000 to $3,000) to approximately 30 entrepreneurial teams per year who are engaged in the course and show potential, bridging the funding gap between early stage development and translation into the market. 4. Support ongoing customer development and commercialization efforts by connecting teams with UMN and community resources. 5. Leverage research expertise to contribute to and support collaborative program evaluation and research across the national I-Corps network. By engaging teams from UMN's STEM research base, MIN-Corps will create new ventures based on sustainable business models and customer-focused product design. MIN-Corps will prepare teams to seek follow-on funding through public grants and private investment. MIN-Corps will engage with stakeholders to make broader impacts in the community including: Talent Development. MIN-Corps will expand awareness of resources supporting innovation and entrepreneurship among students and faculty in STEM fields, particularly among women and under-represented groups. The training experience offered to high-potential entrepreneurial team members through the STARTUP course will increase their readiness for innovation roles in industry and infuse a more entrepreneurial mindset in UMN's culture. Network Development. MIN-Corps will expand UMN's current engagement with seasoned entrepreneurs, angel investors, and venture capitalists from the local innovation ecosystem as mentors throughout the educational and commercialization process. The program will also help harness the energy of individuals and organizations currently supporting entrepreneurship and innovation across Minnesota, including 19 Fortune 500 companies that make their home in the state.Economic Development. MIN-Corps will increase the translation rate of STEM-based innovation to new commercial ventures positioned for subsequent funding from NSF I-Corps, SBIR, NCIIA E-Teams, accelerators, incubators, competitions, angel investors and venture capitalists. The program will spur economic prosperity by expanding access to Lean Launchpad training and increasing the number of start-ups, entrepreneurs, and high-tech jobs in the state.