National NSF I-Corps
7 weeks, 100 customer interviews, and a 50K non-dilutive NSF grant to validate product market fit
Teams who complete a Regional NSF I-Corps Hub Northwest course, have IP developed in an academic lab, and receive a Hub recommendation letter are eligible to apply for the National NSF I-Corps program, a 7-week training that comes with a $50,000 NSF grant for customer discovery. Teams conduct 100 customer discovery interviews, validate their customer ecosystem, and receive a much deeper understanding into all the different stakeholders who influence whether or not their technology is adopted.
Teams who complete the National NSF I-Corps program have a much higher funding rate, including SBIR grants and investments. For NSF SBIR Phase I grants, NSF I-Corps alums have a ~50% win rate, vs 15-20% for the general applicant pool.