If you are a graduate student or postdoctoral scholar interested in learning about entrepreneurship, or you’re a university researcher who has already received prior funding from the National Science Foundation, consider applying to the NSF’s I-Corps program. Each I-Corps team — consisting of a principal investigator, an entrepreneurial lead and a business mentor — is awarded $50,000 to explore technology entrepreneurship and commercialization in an intensive, hands-on way.

Over the course of the seven-week program, participants will learn how to test and refine their ideas, discover who their customers are and what they really want, and develop business plans through a robust and highly collaborative training process — all based on the “Lean LaunchPad” approach developed by serial entrepreneur and educator Steve Blank.