The Innovation Lean Bootcamp provides teams with a real entrepreneurial and experiential learning experience on how to successfully transfer research or ideas into products and services that benefit society. This rapid, two-week program utilizes the Lean LaunchPad Methodology to get scientists, engineers, and technologists “out of the building/lab” to conduct 20+ stakeholder discovery interviews.
Most of the two weeks will be spent talking to potential customers, partners and competitors; experiencing the chaos and uncertainty of starting your own business! Teams will be guided by a Teaching Team made up of experienced entrepreneurs, industry mentors, and commercialization specialists.
Participating-teams that are accepted and successfully adhere to all syllabus requirements are eligible to receive up to $1,500 reimbursement for to conduct customer discovery interviews, such as traveling to events, conferences, and trade shows anywhere in the United States of America.
Winter 2025 Innovation Lean Bootcamp hosted by the New York I-Corps Network:
Kickoff Session: Monday, January 6, 2025, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM ET
Mid Session: Tuesday, January 14, 2025,10:00 AM - 1:00 PM ET
Finale Session: Tuesday, January 21, 2025,10:00 AM - 1:00 PM ET
A/V Testing in Zoom Room will open at 9:30 AM EST
The course will be entirely virtual via Zoom. The Entrepreneurial Lead must be able to attend all three workshop dates!
Application Process:
Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis until Tuesday, December 17, 2024, 12:00 PM ET. The next step after the application submission is a Zoom interview-discussion with your team and the Course Instructor(s). The deadline to book and complete an interview-discussion via Zoom is Tuesday, December 23, 2024, 3:00 PM ET. There will be no extensions.
We recommend applying EARLY so teams have ample time to schedule the required 25-minute Zoom interview discussion. Upon completion of this application, you will see a link to a Setmore Booking Calendar which is where you will schedule your Zoom interview-discussion.
At A Glance Schedule for Winter 2025: https://bit.ly/AtAGlanceScheduleWinter2025LeanBootcamp
Program Goals:
- Build the foundation commercialization plan of your startup for future NSF National I-Corps $50K Teams Program, NSF SBIR/STTR Program, and/or NYC Innovation Hot Spot programming
- Enable teams to develop a clearer decision regarding the market viability of their idea.
- Conduct 20 interviews over the course of the program with potential users, partners, decision makers, stakeholders in your ecosystem
- Teach innovators the fundamental building blocks of the Business Model Canvas (Value Propositions, Customer Segments), and Customer Discovery
- Connect with the nation-wide network of NSF instructors, entrepreneurs, commercialization experts and economic development leaders
Eligibility:
- Teams of 1+ committed members that may be postdocs, students (graduate-student encouraged), faculty, staff, etc. from any university. NY-based "Community" teams such as startup companies working on high-tech solutions (without academic-lineage) may be considered.
- Technology or idea explored in this course should be STEM focused and/or research based
- Must be able to attend all 3 scheduled workshops AND dedicate time outside of the class sessions to get and schedule and conduct customer discovery interviews (20+)
- May be willing to form an academic team of 3+ people after the program to apply for the NSF I-Corps $50k Teams program, and/or apply to the NSF SBIR/STTR Program, and/or other NYS ecosystem programming
Please note: Individuals who previously participated in a NY Hub led Regional cohort within 12-months are not eligible to participate as an Entrepreneurial Lead (EL) or Co-EL.
If you have any questions or comments, please email
info@newyorkicorps.org or Course Instructors ariella.trotsenko@cuny.edu & cira.cardaci@cuny.edu