Great plains i-Corps: Discovery 60

The Great Plains I-Corps: Discovery 60 is a customized 6-week course designed to help you accelerate discovery, refine your business model, and move closer to launching a business. Whether you’re looking to launch a deep-tech startup or strengthen the path to market, this program offers the structure and support to take your next big step. 

You’ll learn to analyze customer decision-making, build a strong go-to-market strategy, weigh partnership opportunities, and work toward a profitable business model. A key focus of the program is conducting 60+ customer interviews to evaluate market demand and validate the potential of your business idea.

Benefits of the program:

  • Gain valuable market insight to inform the next steps in your research and/or product development.
  • Develop data-driven decision-making skills to validate your business model.
  • Cultivate network connections and receive mentoring from experienced industry experts and entrepreneurs.
  • Build confidence in essential soft skills—such as communication, adaptability, and resilience—that are vital for navigating the uncertainties of entrepreneurship.
  • Develop the entrepreneurial mindset and toolset needed to start a successful business.
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6-week Schedule

MEET THE INSTRUCTORS

Elizabeth Hallgren

Elizabeth Hallgren is the founder of The Levain Group, a business growth training and coaching solutions firm.

She has been teaching the NSF I-Corps curriculum since 2015 through the University of Iowa and more recently the Great Plains Hub. Elizabeth’s current projects include providing curriculum expertise for the Global Insurance Accelerator and serving as a Business Advisor in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program.

Corey Kratcha

Corey is the co-founder and CEO of c2renew. C2renew is a material designer and custom compounder utilizing proprietary bio-composite formulations to meet a wide range of engineering specifications. Corey is also the co-founder and CEO of c2sensor, a sister company of c2renew, developing biodegradable SEED sensors for precision farming.

Stephen Hanlon

Steve Hanlon is a high-technology executive experienced in product development, operations, and senior management in the medical device sector. He has held Vice President of R&D, President, and CTO positions in both large and start-up organizations, and has enjoyed operating his own consulting company. He serves as the Director of the Health and Bioscience Innovation Hub at University of Wyoming. Hanlon has a bachelors in electrical engineering from UW, a masters in electrical engineering from ASU, and an MBA from the University of Colorado. He resides in Wyoming.