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January 27 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

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GPH Regional I-Corps | Taught By Dakota State University & South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Regional Cohort

A free innovation boot camp focused on customer discovery. I-Corps is designed to equip participants with skills for designing products and services that benefit customers and gain insights for developing a strategy to transition technology from lab to market. The course provides structured lectures and best practices to support teams in engaging with customers effectively.

The application deadline is Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

Applications are reviewed as they are received. To have the best chance of reserving your spot in our upcoming cohort, apply well before the application deadline.

SCHEDULE

Monday, January 27  |  4:00-5:00 pm MT / 5:00-6:00 pm CT

Thursday, January 30  |  8:00-10:30 am MT / 9:00-11:30 am CT

Thursday, February 6  |  8:00-10:30 am MT / 9:00-11:30 am CT

Thursday, February 13  |  8:00-10:30 am MT / 9:00-11:30 am CT

Thursday, February 20  |   8:00-10:30 am MT / 9:00-11:30 am CT

Learning Objectives 

  • Develop and test customer hypotheses and problem hypotheses 
  • Build an understanding of Learn Launchpad concepts such as customer discovery, ecosystem mapping and value proposition 
  • Map your customer ecosystem to understand customer roles, key players and how decisions are made 
  • Conduct 20+ customer discovery interviews 
  • Build connections with the commercial ecosystem, including customers, suppliers, and funders, for innovation. 

 

Program Benefits 

  • Gain eligibility for the NSF I-Corps National Program and $50,000 grant for qualifying technologies and teams (only deep-tech, university-based teams who complete at least 20 customer discovery interviews) 
  • Gain valuable market insight to inform the next steps for creating impact from your idea 
  • Gain an exceptional professional development experience appropriate for any career path—academic, industry, startup or other 
  • Expand your network of like-minded peers, instructors, investors, customers, and mentors. 
  • Learn, practice and hone your innovation skills 
  • Participant Support Funding – depending on your university affiliation, Entrepreneurial Leads may be eligible for $1,000 to be used towards your customer discovery efforts 

MEET THE INSTRUCTORS

Michael Roach

Michael Roach, PhD

After graduating with a business degree from the University of South Dakota, Michael Roach spent nearly 20 years in the financial services industry, where he managed people, products, projects, and budgets. During this period, he earned his MBA from the University of Sioux Falls and initiated his PhD studies in Management at Capella University. Roach transitioned to academia, commencing his teaching career as a full-time faculty member at Dakota State University in 2003, specializing in economics and management. In 2017, he assumed a role at DSU’s Madison campus and pioneered the entrepreneurial studies program, concurrently serving as the faculty advisor for the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization student club. Furthermore, Roach actively engages in mentoring startups, having contributed his expertise to Startup Sioux Falls, the Paulson Cyber Incubator and Entrepreneurial Center, and presently the Great Plains I-Corps Hub.