I-Corps Sites: Type II - Advancing RIT's Early Stage Technology Commercialization and Entrepreneurship Eco-System: Integrating Educational and Commercial Outcomes

该项目来自罗切斯特理工学院(RIT)，将该机构现有的创新团队(i-Corps)网站扩展到下一阶段对创新和创业的支持。NSF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本地团队，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网站还加强了当地和地区的创新，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了贡献。在I-Corps的最初几年获得三年资助的网站可以申请第二个奖项，为期额外三年，称为第二类提案。RIT的这个项目是第二类项目。自2014年成为一个站点以来，西蒙中心已经审查和咨询了数百个潜在的团队，并通过I-Corps培训提升了大约300个团队。项目的学习结果和对学生/教师参与者的评估提供了重要的见解，这些见解已经付诸实施，并用于改进课程。在过去的三年里，RIT和区域生态系统从NSF的i-Corps站点指定和支持中受益匪浅。它积极地从国家创新网络(NIN)学习社区中获益并做出贡献。RIT的SITE计划还与地区NSF I-Corps Node密切合作，NSF I-Corps Node由康奈尔大学、罗切斯特大学和RIT组成。该项目有许多更广泛的影响：在下一阶段，将特别重视招募传统上代表性不足的创业参与者，以及培训聋人社区，同时进一步推进获取和包容技术项目；新一代学生和教职员工将接受i-Corps(精益创业)方法的教育，并促进早期创业的创建；区域生态系统和国家创新网络将从RIT网站项目的结果中受益。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 Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), extends this institution's existing Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Site for scale up to their next phase of support for innovation and entrepreneurship.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. Sites that received funding for three years during the early years of I-Corps may apply for a second award for an additional three years, called a Type II proposal. This project from RIT is a Type II project.Since becoming a Site in 2014, Simone Center has vetted and counseled several hundred potential teams and advanced approximately 300 of them through I-Corps training. Program learning outcomes and evaluations with student/faculty participants provided significant insights, which have been operationalized and employed to improve offerings. Over the past three years, RIT and the regional ecosystem benefitted significantly from NSF's I-Corps Site designation and support. It has actively gained from and contributed to the National Innovation Network (NIN) learning community. RIT's Site Program is also in close collaboration with the regional NSF I-Corps Node, which is composed of Cornell University, University of Rochester, and RIT. There are a number of broader impacts for this project: during the next phase, particular emphasis will be placed on recruiting traditionally underrepresented participants in entrepreneurship, as well as training the deaf community, while furthering the advancement of access and inclusion technology projects; a new generation of students and faculty will be educated about I-Corps (lean startup) methodologies and fostering the creation of early-stage ventures; and, the regional ecosystem and National Innovation Network will profit from the outcomes of the RIT Site projects.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.