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Forming an I-Corps™ Team

Our regional Propelus program requires teams have at least two active participants. Teams must have an Entrepreneurial Lead and at least one other team member.

All current students ( graduate, doctoral, post-doctoral researchers, and undergraduate), administrative staff, faculty, and alumni are eligible to apply as an Entrepreneurial Lead (EL). 

I-Corps teams are often composed of three Team members, and the follow-on program (National I-Corps Teams Program) requires all three members.

  • The Entrepreneurial Lead (EL) could be a postdoctoral scholar, graduate or undergraduate student, staff member, researcher, or other personnel with relevant knowledge of the technology and a deep commitment to investigate the commercial landscape surrounding the innovation. The Entrepreneurial Lead should also be capable of and have the will to support the transition of the technology, should the I-Corps Site Team project demonstrate the potential for commercial viability. The EL is responsible for leading the team and presenting at each of the last session
  • The Technical Lead (TL) sometime referred to as the Academic Lead (AL) typically has deep and direct technical expertise in the actual core technology about which the I-Corps team is exploring commercial potential. Usually, the Technical Lead will also serve as the proposal Principal Investigator (PI) if the team applies for the National I-Corps program.
  • The I-Corps Teams Mentor (IM) has significant business experience or is an entrepreneur; often he or she has experience in transitioning technology out of academic labs. The I-Corps Teams Mentor should be a third-party resource and will usually have contacts in the industry area(s) being explored.  The Northeast Region I-Corps program compensates mentors for their time participating in a regional program. Learn more and apply to be a mentor here.

Note:  Teams must have an EL and one other team member when applying to the regional I-Corps program.   We can help you find either a Technical Lead or a Mentor. A maximum of five team members is recommended.

Teams may have an additional member in the role of co-EL, co-TL, or co-IM. Teams with more than five members are not typically supported.

I-Corps Fellowship

In addition to the core team members mentioned above, Rutgers university I-Corps team created a Fellowship program to encourage members of under-represented groups to get an immersive innovation experience. Fellows join an existing team as they go through a regional I-Corps cohort for an educational experience. By joining a team, they learn about that innovation, work with the team on their customer discovery efforts and also learn about the n commercialization processes.  Teams with two or three members can be matched with an I-Corps Fellow (If they desire, and if an appropriate fellow is available). More information about the Fellowship program is available here.  Accepted Fellows are considered co-Entrepreneurial leads and will receive a stipend if they successfully complete the cohort and their fellowship requirements.