USF I-Corps

How to Participate

USF I-Corps can help your ideas become a springboard to your future. This revolutionary training program is an intensive immersion in how to find the business model behind your idea, with hands-on, real-world experience with faculty and business experts. It is about the customer discovery process — the first step towards your startup or commercialization.

  • If you are a faculty member, or a student (graduate, undergraduate or postdoctoral scholar) working with a faculty member, who has a startup or idea based on research conducted at USF and you would like to explore the commercial potential of your idea, apply to participate in an I-Corps team for a short 6-week intensive program.

    Apply Now


    A full team consists of a PI/Technical Lead (faculty or community member), Entrepreneurial Team Lead (student or post-doc), and a Business Mentor. You'll be provided with up to $3,000 to help you to:

    • Find and talk with potential future customers
    • Develop a successful business model canvas
    • Fine-tune your idea into a commercially viable product

At the end of the program, you'll have the opportunity to compete against other teams for the chance to further refine your business model in the NSF national training program using a $50,000 grant, or explore further funding opportunities to build your proof-of-concept.

Check our Calendar of Events page for dates of the next I-Corps program.

Email icorps@usf.edu if you are interested in more information.

  • If you are a student (undergraduate or graduate) who has a startup idea, but have not yet developed the idea into a product design, learn more about the I-Corp Lean Launch Pad process:
    1. Register for courses. Check OASIS for the times and dates the following classes offered each semester.

      • Enroll in the Social Entrepreneurship Course offered through both the College of Business and College of Engineering.

        • Graduate Level: ENT 6930
        • Undergraduate Level: MAN 4930

          If you are an undergraduate student in the College of Engineering, you can register for the Capstone Design Course offer by Industrial Systems and Management Engineering, EIN 4890 Capstone Design.

    2. Join the USF Student Innovation Incubator. I-Corps Lean Launch Pad training is provided as part of the programming in the incubator.