All – NSF I-Corps Hub Great Plains

KU Faculty Lead, Lisa Friis, Named NAI Senior Member

March 20, 2026

Elizabeth “Lisa” Friis, professor of mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering at the University of Kansas, and faculty lead for the NSF Great Plains I-Corps Hub, has been named a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). This distinction recognizes emerging academic inventors whose work has demonstrated impact through patents, commercialization, and technology development. Source: KU News Friis was

From Undergraduate to LLC: Airborne Dynamic Systems Takes Flight with Customer Discovery

March 20, 2026

A student-built drone platform becomes the foundation of a growing company after customer discovery revealed a major opportunity in the power industry.

Turning Eggshell Waste Into Opportunity

February 24, 2026

For Amie Norton, I-Corps was not about launching a startup right away. It was about understanding whether her research could translate into meaningful use outside of academic settings. https://youtube.com/shorts/oMonSHN_dEU?feature=share Entering the program as a faculty researcher, Amie wanted to explore how a laboratory-based technology might move toward application. Through I-Corps, she gained tools to test assumptions, engage potential customers,

University of North Dakota Leads $20 Million Federal Initiative to Transform Diabetes Care for Seniors

February 10, 2026

The University of North Dakota has secured a major federal investment of up to $19.9 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to lead a transformative national initiative aimed at improving diabetes care for older adults. The multi-year award includes up to $16.9 million in federal funding, along with $3 million in industry matching support, positioning UND

The Power of Mentorship in I-Corps

January 26, 2026

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

January 15, 2026

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

December 30, 2025

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

December 30, 2025

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

December 11, 2025

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

November 25, 2025

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