OSU’s Three Main Goals as an NSF I-Corps Site

  1. Enhance linkages with OSU engineering, science, and business disciplines through a faculty liaison program in support of Accelerator ICS teams
  2. Create and delivering new course content on personal development, team formation, and dynamics to enable high performing ICS teams
  3. Provide course materials and tracking software to enhance the Lean Canvas curriculum delivery and seed fuds for development of prototypes and minimum viable products

About I-CorpS

The I-Corps program is designed to accelerate commercialization of new technologies, products and processes that emerge from Universities, according to NSF representatives. The program nurtures students and faculty involved in projects with commercial potential; assisted by a strong team of mentors. I-Corp teams include academic leads, entrepreneur leads and a mentor to collaborate on building commercialization plans.

Oregon State University received a three year grant from the National Science Foundation in spring of 2015 to become one of only 36 academic institutions in the United States designated as an Innovation Corps Site. With this recognition, OSU joins 35 other prestigious universities receiving the designation and enhances collaboration with the National Science Foundation.

Programs

The OSU Advantage Accelerator offers three different programs: IterateAccelerate, and Launch.

These programs are designed to guide entrepreneurs from conceptualizing to scaling. Feasibility of the startup and validity of business models is established by the ICS teams using the Lean Canvas and Business Model Canvas methodologies. For specifics on each program's offerings, requirements, and application process, please visit the pages linked above.

Past Clients

The OSU Advantage Accelerator program graduates include over 130 Iterate concepts and 41 companies who completed the full program. For more information about the Accelerator's past clients, check out the previous clients page.

Why Oregon State?

Oregon State University has a legacy of innovation, cutting-edge research, and engagement with industry and government partners. The university has a strong track record for research and securing appropriate funding to support the university’s efforts to improve the economy through commercialization activity.

To achieve the goal of economic development, OSU has committed significant new resources to support the commercialization of innovation, technology transfer, and the formation of startup companies that originate from OSU research. Over the past decade, collaboration between the College of Business (COB), College of Engineering and Office of Commercialization and Corporate Development (OCCD) has helped evaluate the commercial potential of OSU-based technologies. Over time, commercialization efforts expanded to include other sources of technical innovation from the extended OSU community, such as the Division of Business and Engineering, and statewide strategic partners including the Oregon Nanoscience and Micro-Technologies Institute (ONAMI)Oregon Built Environment and Sustainable Technologies (Oregon BEST), the National Energy Technology Lab (NETL), and other partners.

Since its launch, the OSU Advantage Accelerator has become a focal point for technology-based entrepreneurship and commercialization efforts for the OSU community and broader Mid-Willamette Valley - especially since partnering with the Regional Accelerator and Innovation Network (RAIN). This university-based resource has received extensive positive support from local and regional business organizations that have recognized the important role the Accelerator will play in economic development.

Contact Us

For further information regarding OSU’s I-Corp site designation or regarding the programs, please contact the OSU Advantage Accelerator team.


The NSF I-Corps National Program™ provides winning teams the opportunity to participate in a cohort of teams from around the country and do a deep dive into customer discovery and the validation of their Business Model Canvas™.  Teams are supporting in this effort through a $50,000 grant.  Learn more here: https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/i-corps/teams.jsp