Program Description: I-Corps Energy and Transportation is a commercialization training program for energy and transportation university researchers and nascent startups. Developed in partnership with the University of Michigan and modeled after the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps program, I-Corps Energy and Transportation teaches researchers how to validate hypotheses about the value of their technology through customer discovery. Participating teams walk away with a refined target customer segment and value proposition, as well as a strawman commercialization plan. In the 2015 program, 85% of participants added 20+ industry contacts to their network, 15% of participants plan to license their technology to industry in the next three years, and 45% of participants plan on spinning out a new company in the next three years.
Technology Sectors Supported: Chemicals & Advanced Materials, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Green Buildings, Information & Communication Tech, Power Generation, Smart Grid, Transportation & Mobility
