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 started with workshops that gave participants tools to help turn their ideas into real businesses and progressed into featured seminars tailored to specific entrepreneurial needs. One standout was the Entrepreneurial Immigration Pathways seminar, led by Sophie Alcorn, founder and CEO of Alcorn Law, hosted by the University of South Dakota. This session offered valuable insights for international students looking to start businesses in the U.S., covering immigration pathways and legal considerations.
Another speaker series focused on the stages of Launching an Innovation, guiding participants through when technology becomes patentable, how to assess the value of a product, and the importance of customer discovery in shaping a successful business. One example discussed how identifying a specific industry need early on can lead to building a product that directly addresses that gap, ultimately driving success. These insights, along with practical advice from Dr. Noel Anderson, Eric Gjerdevig, and Lisa Esberger, were crucial for those looking to protect and commercialize their innovations.
The University of North Dakota also hosted specialized SBIR/STTR Workshops focusing on federal government agencies, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These sessions provided intensive guidance on preparing competitive proposals for federal funding through SBIR/STTR programs, empowering researchers and entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into fundable ventures.
Innovation Week’s success was also reflected in the support network across the region. Partner institutions hosted workshops and networking events, creating an environment where new ideas and partnerships could grow. It’s clear that Innovation Week not only strengthened our entrepreneurial ecosystem but also set the stage for future innovation. The energy and connections made during the week will continue to inspire entrepreneurship across the Great Plains.
We’re already excited for the next Innovation Week and hope to build on this year’s success. If you missed out, stay tuned for more opportunities to get involved with I-Corps. This year showed us that with the right support and collaboration, the future of entrepreneurship in the Great Plains is bright.