NSF I-Corps

Desert and Pacific Region Hub

Entrepreneurial Training to Bring Technology to the Market

Entrepreneurial Training

The National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (NSF I-Corps) program provides 4-weeks of entrepreneurial training for teams of researchers, students, and mentors to explore the commercial potential of their research and innovation.

Focused on research-based deep technology venture products and services, the Desert and Pacific Region Hub spans five states.

Hub Partners

Arizona State University, University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, UC San Diego, San Diego State University, University of Hawaii, Boise State University, University of Idaho, and University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Learn More

What to Expect

Get Entrepreneurial Training and Support

• Turn your idea into a marketable product/service
• 4-week virtual program focused on customer discovery and value proposition
• Join a National I-Corps Teams program, and receive $50,000 in seed funding
• Up to $3,000 in development support
• Open to all entrepreneurs: Faculty, Staff, Students & Community

Explore Your Idea’s Commercial Potential

• Improve commercial success through assumption testing and customer discovery
• Validate your business model and establish product-market fit
• Expand your network and develop industry connections

Upcoming Cohorts

Select the start date that interests you for detailed information and an application link specific to that cohort. Cohort dates are as follows:

I-Corps Aspire (Jan-Feb 2025)
Jan 24 to Feb 14
Learn the fundamentals of customer discovery and assess problem-solution fit over 4 sessions, 3 hours each, conducted via Zoom.

I-Corps Aspire: Sustainability hosted by University of California, San Diego (Jan-Feb 2025)
Jan 27 to Feb 27
Dive into customer discovery with a focus on sustainability. Gain insights to address market needs and create impactful solutions. This interactive course includes a 1-hour kick off and four 3-hour sessions, all held via Zoom.

I-Corps Aspire hosted by San Diego State University (Jan-Mar 2025)
Jan 31 to Mar 7
Explore customer discovery in a hybrid format, beginning with a full-day in-person session at SDSU, followed by Zoom sessions and personalized coaching, and concluding with an in-person final presentations day.

I-Corps Aspire (Feb-Mar 2025)
Feb 13 to Mar 6
Learn the fundamentals of customer discovery and assess problem-solution fit over 4 sessions, 3 hours each, conducted via Zoom.

I-Corps Aspire: MedTech hosted by University of California, San Diego (Feb-Apr 2025)
Feb 24 to Apr 2
Immerse yourself in the MedTech sector with a course guiding you through customer discovery and assessing market readiness for your innovations. This course includes a 1-hour kick off and four 3-hour sessions, all conducted via Zoom.

I-Corps Aspire (Mar 2025)
Mar 7 to Mar 28
Learn the fundamentals of customer discovery and assess problem-solution fit over 4 sessions, 3 hours each, conducted via Zoom.

Alumni Testimonials

Ryan Manwaring Cambria Brann Brandon Yagla

Ryan Manwaring

NSF 2023

Manwaring elaborates on his journey through the program and having, “ unwavering support from the I-Corps faculty and Cara Van Sant, Director of the Venture College.”

Manwaring’s biggest takeaway can be summed up in his own words: “The importance of doing many interviews so that you can really start identifying patterns, market opportunities, and the importance of pivoting.”

Learn more about Manwaring’s NSF journey.

Cambria Brann

NSF 2023

“This program was the missing piece I needed to turn my idea into a reality. Thanks to the team of professionals and community of entrepreneurs like myself, I was able to get the guidance I needed to move forward and build my business from the ground up.”

Brandon Yagla

NSF 2023

“The NSF cohort was great! I learned some really valuable lessons on value propositions and how to interview people/customers to better find the problem they want solved. I didn’t really have much experience with the business side of entrepreneurship and even though this particular cohort was a sped up version I still walked away from the program significantly more confident in both myself as an entrepreneur and the Sol Well as a viable solution in the renewable energy industry.”

Learn more about how Yagla started Sol Well here.