Charlotte Joins National Science Foundation I-Corps
In a significant development, UNC Charlotte has joined the prestigious National Science Foundation I-Corps Hub Mid-Atlantic Region, a network comprising 11 universities dedicated to aiding researchers in translating their inventions into viable market products.
Dan Kunitz, the director and co-principal investigator of the Mid-Atlantic I-Corps Hub, emphasized UNC Charlotte’s pivotal role, stating, “UNC Charlotte is a leading institution dedicated to serving diverse populations and catering to the Charlotte region not currently supported by I-Corps Hubs. Through its addition, we will collectively broaden I-Corps participation, reach more underserved communities and achieve greater societal and economic impact.”
The Mid-Atlantic I-Corps Hub is a collaborative effort involving research institutions across North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania. Led by the University of Maryland, this hub leverages the combined resources of universities to standardize and offer I-Corps training across the region.
The U.S. National Science Foundation Innovation Corps program provides real-world, hands-on training to researchers and entrepreneurs on successfully incorporating innovations into marketable products. Individual hubs across the country implement the I-Corps program in regional research communities.
UNC Charlotte, nestled in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, boasts an enrollment of over 30,000 students and has witnessed a doubling of its annual research expenditures in the past five years. Robert Keynton, the dean of the William States Lee College of Engineering at UNC Charlotte, highlighted the institution’s commitment to innovation, stating, “Our researchers produce a wide range of breakthroughs and new technologies.”
By integrating into the Mid-Atlantic Hub, UNC Charlotte aims to contribute its solution-oriented culture and engage in deep technology transfer to ensure that more discoveries make it to the market for the benefit of society.
UNC Charlotte’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, recognized as a NSF I-Corps site in 2015, has been actively involved in training regional I-Corps teams and participants. The center received the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Lab-to-Market Inclusive Innovation Visionary Award in 2021.
Keynton and Devin Collins, CEI director of technology and business support programs, will play key roles as the UNC Charlotte I-Corps principal investigator and co-PI, respectively. The hub partnership will enable them to devote more time to the initiative and operate more robust regional I-Corps programs.
UNC Charlotte’s integration into the hub’s virtual cohorts will further enhance its participation. The institution will also lead discussions within the hub’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, shaping how the I-Corps goal of broadening participation can be effectively communicated, presented, incorporated, and tracked.
UNC Charlotte’s involvement as an institution in an I-Corps underserved community positions it as a critical voice in sharing best practices, exploring new opportunities, and defining broadening participation for all hub universities in the I-Corps National Innovation Network.
Apart from UNC Charlotte, the Mid-Atlantic I-Corps Hub includes universities such as Penn State University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins University, Howard University, the George Washington University, UNC-Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, Virginia Tech, and Hampton University.