Do you want to translate your research into impactful real-world applications? Join UW-Madison’s Technology Entrepreneurship Office (TEO) for the I-Corps program!

Why Join?

• Lean LaunchPad Methodology: Master customer discovery, ecosystem mapping, and the Value Proposition Canvas.
• Customer-Centric Thinking: Understand your customers’ pain points from their perspectives.
• Strategic Mapping: Identify customer roles, requirements, and decision-making processes.
• Real-World Connections: Engage with customers, suppliers, and funders to accelerate your innovation journey.

Who Should Attend?

• Researchers & Innovators: Faculty, staff, and students ready to explore the commercial potential of their research.
• Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Individuals seeking entrepreneurial skills and access to a supportive network of mentors and investors.

Learning Objectives

• Develop familiarity with Lean LaunchPad concepts and tools such as customer discovery, ecosystem mapping, and the Value Proposition Canvas
• Understand customers’ problems (“pain points”) from THEIR perspective
• Map your customer ecosystem to understand customer roles, requirements, and decision processes
• Build connections to the commercial ecosystem (i.e., customers, suppliers, funders) for your innovation

Benefits of the Program

• Explore pathways to launch a startup
• Evaluate the potential of your research discovery or technology
• Discover how your innovation can impact society as a usable technology
• Strengthen your next research proposal to secure funding
• Participants earn up to $3,000 in micro-grant funding, eligibility for NSF National I-Corps™ (up to $50K), and I-Corps™ Boost.

Don’t miss this chance to kickstart your entrepreneurial journey with the support of the local NSF I-Corps program and the UW-Madison Technology Entrepreneurship Office. Secure your spot in this transformative program by registering today!

Materials, Manufacturing & Energy in the Age of AI

We are recruiting teams leveraging artificial intelligence as an enabler, or innovating around physical bottlenecks, to solve macro-infrastructure challenges.

Whether you are a faculty Principal Investigator (PI) at a higher-education institution seeking to strengthen your competitiveness for future federal grants, or a postdoc or PhD student aiming to maximize the real-world impact of your discovery, this cohort is designed for you.

If your research touches any of the following fields, you belong in this program:

• Advanced Materials & Metallurgy
• Supply Chain & Manufacturing Resilience
• Energy & Power Innovation
• AI-Enabled Hardware & Process Controls

Course Schedule

• • Session 1 (Orientation): Oct 1, from 4:45 pm to 7:00 pm (Central Time- Zoom)
  • Self-paced course work and fundamentals work on Canvas (asynchronous): Oct 2-14
  • Session 2: Oct 15, from 4:45 pm to 7:00 pm (Central Time-Zoom)
  • Session 3: Oct 22, from 4:45 pm to 7:00 pm (Central Time-Zoom)
  • Session 4: Oct 29, 4:45 pm to 7:00 pm (Central Time-Zoom)
  • Catch Up Week (Q&A): Nov 5, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm (Central Time-Zoom)
  • Final Session: Nov 12, from 4:45 pm to 7:30 pm (Central Time-Zoom)

Registration for this cohort is open.

Registration for the Materials, Manufacturing & Energy in the Age of AI cohort is open!

• Free, Virtual Cohort
• October 1 – November 12, 2026
• Class sessions on Thursdays, at 4:45pm CT

Apply by September 9