The Power of Mentorship in I-Corps
Behind every successful I-Corps team is a network of experienced professionals helping founders validate assumptions, navigate uncertainty, and move research closer to practical application. Industry mentors play a critical role in bridging the gap between new technologies and commercialization by bringing practical insight, market knowledge, and valuable connections to the I-Corps team. How Mentors Support Teams Industry mentors provide teams
Listening Before Building: How Ilios Aerospace Embraced Customer Discovery
When Ilios Aerospace entered the NSF I-Corps program, their idea was clear: design a light-sport aircraft that is more affordable, easier to manufacture and assemble. What wasn’t clear? Who their customer really was and what they wanted. Like many startups, Ilios Aerospace began with a technology-first mindset. Pedro Cupertino, aerospace engineer and entrepreneurial lead, admits that his initial approach was
UND I-Corps Team Selected for VentureWell’s 2026 E-Team Program
Neuroclear Pro Park, a student innovation team from the University of North Dakota, has been selected to join the Winter 2026 cohort of VentureWell’s competitive E-Team Program. Only twenty-two student ventures nationwide were chosen for this cohort, representing emerging technologies aimed at improving healthcare, sustainability, information technology, and other critical sectors. Neuroclear Pro Park is developing a continuous-monitoring wearable designed
2025: Year in Review
Every year, the NSF Great Plains I-Corps Hub works toward a singular goal to ensure that research does not stop at discovery. The goal is to help ideas move beyond the lab and into the world where they can create economic activity and expand opportunities across the Midwest. In 2025, that work continued across six states and eleven universities, and
NSF Great Plains I-Corps director recognized nationally for innovation
Dr. Chad Ulven, NSF Great Plains I-Corps Hub Director, has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the organization’s highest professional distinction for academic inventors. Ulven will be among 169 new NAI Fellows elected this year. Source: NDSU News The NAI Fellows Program honors inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation through outstanding inventions that
SDSU’s NASA Victory Fueled by Customer Discovery
A student team from South Dakota State University is gaining national attention after taking first place in NASA’s 2025 Gateways to Blue Skies competition; an achievement shaped in part by their experience in the NSF Great Plains I-Corps Hub program. The annual competition invites university teams to envision future-focused aviation solutions. This year’s theme, AgAir: Aviation Solutions for Agriculture, challenged
Sheila Fields on Driving Change in Healthcare
At the core of every I-Corps journey lies a clear problem and an idea to solve it. For Sheila Fields, owner of BFields Solutions, Inc., and a past participant in the Great Plains I-Corps Program, the problem is antibiotic overuse and the consequences it has for patients and healthcare systems alike. Partnering with Dr. Scott Campbell and his research team,
RJ Energy Using I-Corps as a Litmus Test for New Technology
When Bella Peterson first joined the I-Corps program, she was a college student with curiosity and a willingness to learn. Through University of North Dakota’s Center for Innovation, Bella connected with Russell Schell of RJ Energy Solutions to assist him with customer discovery throughout the 5-week program. Originally, their technology focused on repurposing wasted heat from commercial kitchens to improve