I-Corps Sites - Type I: UC Merced Innovation Corps: Connecting the National Innovation Network to the San Joaquin Valley

该项目在加州大学默塞德分校创建了一个I-Corps网站。NSF Innovation Corps（I-Corps）网站是由NSF资助的实体，在大学中建立，其目的是培养和支持多个本地团队将其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团队申请人。默塞德研究中心通过加州大学伯克利分校与湾区NSF创新团队节点合作。默塞德将培养创新和团队，这些团队可以有意义地参与国家创新网络，通过应用创业精神向社会提供创新。它还将制定各种方法，在多样化程度较低的经济体中培养以创新为基础的创业精神。UCMerced位于加州的一个农村农业地区，过去没有太多的创业活动。然而，在2015 UCMerced成立了创业实验室，专注于创业，并在更大的社区提供创业的场所。这是一个独特的网站建议，考虑到机构的年龄和他们的农村位置。他们已经创建了他们的风险实验室并取得了成功，并招募了一个10人的顾问委员会。领导层非常有经验，并与周围的社区进行合作和支持，他们的联系很强。他们的课程以精益为中心。UCMerced选择了一个现实的网站模式-第一年有15个网站团队，然后是20个，在他们的最后一年的资金增加到30个。这是一个不寻常的环境，在一个基本上是少数民族居住的机构中试点一个项目，位于一个需要促进其生态系统的地区。该项目很可能对该机构和社区产生深远的影响。

This project creates an I-Corps Site at the University of California - Merced. 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. The Merced Site is in cooperation with the Bay Area NSF Innovation Corps Node through the University of California, Berkeley. Merced will cultivate both innovation and teams that can meaningfully participate in the National Innovation Network to deliver innovation to society through the application of entrepreneurship. It will also develop methods for fostering innovation-based entrepreneurship in less diverse economies. UCMerced is in a rural, agricultural area of California that has not had much entrepreneurial activity in the past. However, in 2015 UCMerced established the Venture Lab which focuses on entrepreneurship and provides a locus of entrepreneurship in the greater community.This is a unique Sites proposal given the age of the institution and their rural location. They have already created and succeeded with their Venture Lab and recruited a 10-member Advisory Board. The leadership is very experienced and has reached out to the surrounding community for collaboration and support and their connections are strong. Their curriculum is lean-centric. UCMerced has chosen a realistic Sites model - starting with 15 Site teams the first year, then 20, ramping up to 30 in their final year of funding.This is an unusual environment to pilot a program in an institution that is essentially minority populated and located in an area that is in need of a boost to its ecosystem. The project is likely to have a profound impact on both the institution and the community.