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

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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

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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

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Great Plains I-Corps Wraps First-Ever Discovery 60 Cohort

The NSF Great Plains I-Corps Hub has officially wrapped up its first Discovery 60 cohort, an intensive eight-week program designed to help researchers and entrepreneurs refine their business models, get to know their potential customers, and move closer toward commercialization. Discovery 60 builds upon participants’ earlier I-Corps experience by requiring 60+ customer discovery interviews, which is 3 times the number

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South Dakota Mines Professor Revolutionizes Body’s Wound Healing Capabilities

Source: SDM News As early as six months after birth, the human body decreases its hyaluronic acid (HA) expression significantly – a vital molecule that supports tissue structure and regulates cell growth and movement. Found throughout the body, including brain, eyes, joints and skin, HA provides essential lubrication, mechanical support and hydration; however, its decline with age increases the risks

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2024 Year in Review

The Great Plains Hub celebrated its second year in 2024, marked by exponential growth and significant milestones. The Hub expanded the number of cohorts offered compared to its inaugural year and hosted its first National I-Corps Program. Additionally, the Hub welcomed the University of Montana as a new partner institution, and connected with three potential institutional partners, with formal partnerships

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Using AI to Build Better Thinkers

UNO researchers are leading a National Science Foundation-backed project to elevate critical thinking and problem-solving skills for students in STEM fields. Source: UNO News University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) STEM TRAIL Center Research Director Tracie Reding, Ed.D., has received a $400,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) research grant for a project called INSIGHTS, which uses AI-powered learning analytics dashboards to improve higher-order

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The Success of I-Corps Innovation Week

Celebrating I-Corps Innovation Week  Our first I-Corps Innovation Week was a big success, bringing together innovators, entrepreneurs, and educators across the Great Plains. The week-long event series offered opportunities to collaborate, learn, and showcase exciting new ideas. Through hands-on workshops, panel discussions, and plenty of networking, participants got practical advice and built connections to push their ventures forward.  Innovation Week

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