What
Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps is an opportunity for research teams to explore biotechnology commercialization. Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps is primarliy delivered in-person and will involve a mix of sessions including webinars, teamwork and homework. Teams will be able to meet with and learn from experts in the biotechnology industry.
When
October 8, 2022 - Virtual Session
October 22-23, 2022 - In-person Session
November 5-6, 2022 - In-person Session
January 13-14, 2023 - In-person at CSU Annual Biotechnology Symposium (Final Presentation schedule will be released during workshop)
All team members MUST attend each session to be eligible to participate in Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps.
Where
Virtual activies will be held on Zoom.
In-person weekends (Oct. 22-23 & Nov. 5-6) will be in San Diego, CA.
CSU Annual Biotechnology Symposium will be in Santa Clara, CA.
Who
CSU faculty, student and/or staff researchers interested in learning about life sciences commercialization and ready to participate in person.
Applicants must have hands-on, biotechnology-related research experience. CSUPERB defines biotechnology as a fusion of biology and technology. The
Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) lists biotechnology examples, applications and sectors. CSUPERB welcomes and encourages applications from CSU faculty, student and staff researchers working in all disciplines related to the current practice of biotechnology, including but not limited to life sciences, physical sciences, clinical sciences, math, computer science, agricultural science engineering, and/or business.
How
Teams selected to participate in Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps will be notified by email. Teams will subsequently be given information on travel, lodging, and meals after completing the participation survey.
Travel and lodging expenses will be reimbursed and meals at the in-person sessions will be provided. Please note, teams in San Diego, CA will not be able to claim lodging and some meals.
After Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps, teams have an opportunity to win $1000 microgrants to further investigate their research-based commercialization ideas. Successful teams will also earn consultations with the
Tech Futures Group to plan out next steps and map out commercialization milestones for follow on fund-raising, as well as becoming eligible for the National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps Teams program ($50,000 grants).
Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps Details
Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps is a hybrid course consisting of virtual and in-person activies. CSU I-Corps will start with a virtual session on Saturday, October 8, 2022. The next two sessions will be the weekends of October 22-23 and November 5-6 in San Diego, CA (in-person). Final presentations will be held during the virtual 34th Annual
CSU Biotechnology Symposium (January 13-14, 2023). The exact date of the final presentation will be provided during the course.
Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps will run over the Fall 2022 semester and culminate at the CSU Annual Biotechnology Symposium in January 2023. I-Corps courses nationwide create entrepreneurial experiences “with all the pressures and demands of the real world" – so expect a participatory, fast-paced, high-energy workshop.
During sessions, participants will be fully immersed in teamwork.
Please plan to be fully involved during each session. Please note, for the in-person sessions, there will not be time to explore San Diego, Ca.
Participants work with industry professionals to learn about biotechnology commercialization, grow professional networks, and explore entrepreneurial opportunities that build on basic research. Industry mentors (IMs) will be matched with Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps teams.
How to Apply
Apply as a team. A team can consist of a mix of CSU faculty, student and/or staff researchers with an interest in learning biotech commercialization (3-4 people*).
The Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps application form is available
online. Applications are due Friday, September 9, 2022 by 5 pm pacific time.
*If the team is less than 3 or more than 4 people, please contact the CSUPERB program office.
Contact: If you have questions about Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps, your eligibility, the application, or the selection process, contact Christine Montgomery at CSUPERB (rmontgomery@sdsu.edu; 619-594-1203) or contact the CSUPERB program office (csuperb@sdsu.edu; 619-594-2822).
Quotes from previous CSU I-Corps participants:
“They ask for your full undivided attention for a full week (or two) for a reason. You get out as much as you put in!"
“Since our team has been working together in a lab for at least a year, it was easier for us to communicate and speak up about what we felt was right."
“Keep eyes and ears open all the time to absorb as much as you can during the program. You will get to know a lot by analyzing your own team, other participating teams, and the inputs from the faculty team. It's a great opportunity to learn the basics of evidence-based entrepreneurship and be able to apply it right away. I will strongly recommend giving your 100% when you participate and see the difference (in you as an individual and your team) at the end of the program."
“This type of summer sprint will be very beneficial for business students who wish to pursue a career in bio-technology. However, the basic principles learnt are applicable to any new business start-up. I highly recommend undergoing such training. The valuable addition to my knowledge, experience, and the confidence in terms of certain concept implementation was significant."
“Our team chemistry was undeniable. Every member respected each other's opinions which led to very fruitful discussions and activities. Having one of our team member's be an MBA student also helped significantly given that the other two members were more technically savvy. Our industry mentor also had a big effect on our success. He had a very good network in the field as well as very relevant experience in entrepreneurship."
“Because we were all very knowledgeable about the science, we were able to pivot easily to a new approach (but same science) as well as explain our technology effectively."
“I just wanted to emphasize my tremendous personal growth (academically and entrepreneurial); as a full professor you would think learning is only in small quantities at a time. However, the “total immersion" style of the Summer Sprint allowed me to grow by “leaps and bounds!"
“Be ready to work a lot, be ready to talk to a lot of people, take criticism and use it constructively."
Application
Applications are due Friday, September 9, 2022 APPLICATION CLOSED
Selection Criteria
Only complete applications received by the application deadline will be reviewed.
Applicants do NOT need previous commercialization experience, a developed venture concept, or any protected intellectual property in hand. Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps is designed specifically for curious researchers and nascent academic entrepreneurs.
Applicants will be selected based on:
- the team's ability to submit a complete application received by the deadline,
- the team's biotechnology-relevant research background,
- a desire to learn about biotechnology commercialization,
- the teams' availability and commitment to participate 100% in scheduled activities, and
- a clear connection between the team's commercialization idea and a CSU-based research group.
The CSU I-Corps Teaching Team may decide to interview applicants before final selection.
All applicants should save Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps dates before applying. If a team member becomes unavailable for Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps, please contact the CSUPERB program office immediately.
Selection decisions will be made in mid September. Applicants will be notified of selection decisions by email.
Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps Learning Objectives
- Experience working with a team to identify problems and propose solutions
- Learn about evidence-based entrepreneurship as taught by NSF I-Corps™ nodes and sites nationwide
- Apply evidence-based entrepreneurship concepts via customer discovery
- Gain familiarity with life science commercialization concepts
- Grow and build off-campus professional networks
- Present lessons learned to a panel of industry experts
If you have questions about Fall 2022 CSU I-Corps, your eligibility, the application, or the selection process, contact Christine Montgomery at CSUPERB (rmontgomery@sdsu.edu; 619-594-1203) or contact the CSUPERB program office (csuperb@sdsu.edu; 619-594-2822).