Golden State Today

The University of California, Davis has been announced as a partner in one of the three new NSF Innovation Corps (NSF I-Corps) Hubs by the U.S. National Science Foundation. These hubs aim to expand the NSF-led National Innovation Network (NIN), which focuses on transforming discoveries into societal and economic solutions.

Each hub could receive up to $3 million annually over five years and is composed of a regional alliance involving at least eight universities. Currently, there are 13 NSF I-Corps Hubs across 48 states.

These hubs offer entrepreneurial training for researchers in various scientific and engineering fields. They form the core of the NIN, which includes universities, NSF-funded researchers, entrepreneurs, local communities, and federal agencies working together to explore commercial opportunities for scientific discoveries. The goal is to foster an innovation ecosystem engaging Americans nationwide.

Erwin Gianchandani, NSF assistant director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, stated: “The goal of the I-Corps program is to deploy experiential education to help researchers reduce the time necessary to translate promising ideas from laboratory benches to widespread implementation that in turn impacts economic growth regionally and nationally.” He added that each hub provides essential training in entrepreneurship and customer discovery, leading to new products, startups, and jobs.

Since its establishment in 2011, more than 3,600 teams have participated in the NSF I-Corps program. The program aims at technology translation, entrepreneurial training and workforce development, economic impact, collaboration, and inclusion.

The new hubs include:

- Northwest region led by University of California, Berkeley with partners such as Oregon State University and University of Washington.

- Southeast region led by Georgia Institute of Technology with partners including Clemson University and University of Miami.

- New England region led by Massachusetts Institute of Technology with partners like Brown University and Harvard University.