The Ohio State University I-Corps – November 2026
November 13 - December 11
Free
I-Corps taught by The Ohio State University. In-person attendance required. Location: Columbus, OH. Class sessions on Fridays, 9am-11:30am ET.
Application Deadline is November 11
Amplify the Impact of Your Research.
Hosted by the Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship, The Ohio State University local NSF I-Corps program is an engaging, four-week training program for OSU faculty, staff, and students interested in exploring the market opportunity of their research. The Lean Launchpad approach is a proven process to help systematically test key assumptions about your technology/product/service and the customer problems it may solve.
Hosted by the Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship, The Ohio State University local NSF I-Corps program is an engaging, four-week training program for OSU faculty, staff, and students interested in exploring the market opportunity of their research. The Lean Launchpad approach is a proven process to help systematically test key assumptions about your technology/product/service and the customer problems it may solve.
—
Learning Objectives
- Develop familiarity with Lean LaunchPad concepts including customer discovery, value proposition design and business model canvas
- Understand customers’ problems or “pain points” from their perspective
- Map your customer ecosystem to understand customer roles, requirements and decision processes
Benefits of the Program
- Develop network connections and receive mentoring from experienced industry experts and entrepreneurs
- Develop the entrepreneurial mindset and toolset needed for a career in academia, industry, startups, or government
- Become eligible for the NSF I-Corps National Teams program and $50,000 grant for qualifying technologies and teams (only deep-tech, university-based teams who complete at least 20 customer discovery interviews).
- Prepare for applying to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
- Gain valuable market insight to inform the next steps in your research and/or development.
Course Format and Schedule
The program is conducted in three components:
Asynchronous I-Corps Prep:
- Self-Paced Modules. Estimated completion time is ~2 hours
- Introduction to the fundamentals of I-Corps and customer discovery
- Completion required before in-person session starts
In-person Workshop Series:
- Focus on learning and practicing customer discovery techniques
- Provide weekly summaries about customer discovery findings
- Receive feedback and coaching from experienced instructors/mentors
- Goal: conduct 20 customer discovery interviews
Weekly Coaching Sessions:
- Meet 1:1 with coaches about your specific project and goals