I-Corps Sites: Type I - University of Maine I-Corps Site

该项目在缅因州大学进行，在该机构建立了一个创新团队（I-Corps）站点。NSF创新团队（I-Corps）站点是在大学建立的NSF资助的实体，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。I-Corps Sites还加强本地和区域创新，并为导师、研究人员、企业家和投资者组成的国家创新网络做出贡献。缅因州大学指定了I-Corps Sites，其Foster Center建立在规划和大学研发活动的基础上，以支持校园团队。该网站的创新培训支持可对农村社区产生重大影响的基于自然资源的技术的商业化。缅因州依靠自然资源为基础的经济和国家采取独特的策略，以保持创新。缅因州I军团网站计划填补了意识和培训以及更密集的支持计划之间的关键差距。在商业化途径的早期阶段让I-Corps网站的团队参与进来，增加了成功的可能性，因为这些团队进入了更密集的加速器和孵化计划，并进入了商业化途径的下一步。该网站作为一个“预加速器”，通过客户发现和竞争力和专利性分析，帮助他们了解他们的技术的市场机会。在支持农村经济增长的同时，I-Corps网站还支持妇女充分参与创业，校园研究中心专注于招聘，保留和提升女教师。利用I-Corps的资源，扩大了女研究人员的校园资源。福斯特中心提供培训，帮助女企业家实现商业化。福斯特中心在促进女性创业方面有着悠久的历史，目前参与该中心加速器计划的五个团队中有四个由女性领导。值得注意的是，I-Corps网站将由两名成功和经验丰富的女性创新者领导。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project, at the University of Maine, establishes an Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Site at this institution.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. I-Corps Sites also strengthen innovation locally and regionally and contribute to the National Innovation Network of mentors, researchers, entrepreneurs and investors.With an I-Corps Sites designation at the University of Maine, its Foster Center builds upon the programming and the university's research and development activities to support campus-based teams. The Site's innovation training supports the commercialization of natural resource-based technologies that can have a significant impact on rural communities. Maine relies on a natural resource-based economy and the state adopts unique tactics to remain innovative. The UMaine I-Corps Site program fills a critical gap between awareness and training and more intensive support programs. Involving teams in the I-Corps Site at an early stage in the commercialization pathway increases the likelihood of success as these teams move into more intensive accelerator and incubation programs and the next step in the commercialization pathway. The Site acts as a "pre-accelerator" helping them understand the market opportunities for their technologies through customer discovery and competitive and patentability analysis.While supporting rural economic growth, the I-Corps Site also supports the full inclusion of women in entrepreneurship with a campus research center focused on recruiting, retaining, and advancing women faculty. Campus resources for women researchers are utilized and expanded with resources from I-Corps. The Foster Center incorporates training to help women entrepreneurs reach commercialization. The Foster Center has a strong history of promoting female entrepreneurship, and four out of five teams currently participating in the Center's Accelerator program are led by women. Notably, the I-Corps Site will be led by two successful and experienced female innovators.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.