Upcoming Seminars

As Innovation Park looks to the future, we believe that education is a major component in helping bridge the gap between bold ideas and successful commercialization. In addition to our other programs, we will be hosting seminars on different topics periodically throughout the year.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps program prepares scientists and engineers to extend their focus beyond the university laboratory and accelerates the economic and societal benefits of NSF-funded, basic-research projects that are ready to move toward commercialization. Additionally, those in the regional training may be nominated for the National Cohort as a result of this training and receive a $50,000 grant.

Since this is a NSF grant, it qualifies for “lineage preference” on future NSF grant opportunities, and can also be a great tool for anyone interested in applying for an SBIR/STTR grant.

Through I-Corps, NSF grantees learn to identify valuable product opportunities that can emerge from academic research, and gain skills in entrepreneurship through training in customer discovery and guidance from established entrepreneurs.

Due to the approach taken in this seminar, the training is highly experiential in that I-Corps South Instructors teach largely by asking the participants to “do”, and then allow time for instructors and class participants to provide feedback.  Specifically, the class teaches customer discovery methodology that gets the researcher to create hypotheses, execute interviews, as well as iterating.

The learning objectives include:

1. Clarify your business vision
2. Carry out customer interviews
3. Create a Business Model Canvas
4. Determine who your customer is
5. Recognize where in the market your product/vision fits
6. Enable the Team to develop a clear go/no go decision regarding the commercial viability of the effort
7. Develop a transition plan to move the solution forward to market, if the Team decides to do so

This specific program will be four weeks long, with one class per week.  The first and last classes meet in person, while the second and third will be conducted via webinar.

This training is FREE and open to the public, and greatly benefits those in the STEM field.

For more information, click here.

SBIR/STTR grants are the nation’s largest source of early stage / high risk funding.  These programs from eleven federal agencies make over $2.5 billion in high-risk, non-dilutive capital available to innovative small companies annually.  That’s about 5,000 awards per year, and you retain the rights to intellectual property (in most cases).

During this seminar, Innovation Park’s Director of Entrepreneurship, Michael Tentnowski will provide an overview regarding these programs.  He will discuss specific requirements of the grants and the different phases, timelines, program purpose, and grant writing tips. Michael will also be there to answer questions after the presentation.

40% Phase I proposals are successful. Learn how you can improve your chances of success.  HUBZone owned, women-owned, and socially & economically disadvantaged applicants get special preference points when proposals are being evaluated.

This event is being sponsored by Innovation Park and under an EDA / FAMU REACH grant, and is open to anyone interested in attending.