Regional Courses at NE I-Corps: Spark & Fusion
What You Will Get
- A greater understanding of why your technology has value, and to whom
- Guided opportunities to find a market for your technology—quite possible one that had not been previous considered!
- An increased appreciation for what it takes to commercialize technology and the barriers to adoption
- An expanded network of like-minded peers, instructors, investors, potential customers, and mentors
Spark
All courses will be held virtually
Spark is a FREE three-week course. As a participant, you will quickly investigate if there’s a market for your technology, understand who would use it, and why. You will receive an introduction to the fundamental I-Corps™ principles, learn how to identify potential customers, and then “get out of the building” to determine if you are solving a significant real-world problem.
How it works
This highly interactive online course begins with a Kickoff Workshop where participants will learn how to:
- Identify their top customer segments
- Form hypotheses about their potential customers and their value propositions
- Find and effectively interview customers to test their hypotheses
During the three weeks that follow the workshop, teams will speak with at least 12 potential customers. Teams will have two office hour consultations with instructors to check-in, share progress, and receive coaching.
The program concludes with a Lessons Learned Workshop where teams will present what they have learned, receive additional coaching, and learn about their options on how to keep moving forward with their ideas.
Regional Spark
Oct 8 - Nov 7, 2024
Regional Spark
Nov 13 - Dec 12, 2024
Regional Spark
Jan 15 - Feb 6, 2025
Regional Spark
Jan 29 - Feb 19, 2025
Regional Spark
Feb 12 - Mar 5, 2025
Fusion
If your team has completed Spark and is a potential candidate for the NSF National Teams program, you may be eligible to apply for our Fusion program. In Fusion, teams will receive coaching and funding to conduct additional customer discovery. The program will challenge teams to conduct 12 new interviews and craft a final presentation. This program is self-paced.
Requirements
- Working on a project based on new, innovative, and differentiating technology that could be a candidate for a future SBIR proposal
- Located in New England
- Current faculty, postdocs, students, and staff at any university OR
- Other individuals working on a serious STEM-related technology