Summer tends to bring a natural pause to the academic and professional hustle. Calendars ease up, meetings slow down, and for many researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovators, this quieter season can open the door to something important: time to focus.
If you’ve been sitting on an idea—maybe it’s a research project with potential, a side concept you haven’t had the time to explore, or a product you’re not sure people actually need—this is your sign to use the summer to move it forward.
Why Now?
One of the biggest mistakes innovators make is waiting too long to validate their idea. You don’t need a fully developed product or a polished pitch deck to start understanding your market. What you do need is insight into what your potential customers actually care about. That’s where the Great Plains Regional I-Corps Program comes in.
Through I-Corps, you’ll get the structure, accountability, and support to get out of your head and into the real world—connecting with potential customers and asking the right questions. You’ll conduct a minimum of 20 customer discovery interviews and walk away with data that will help you validate, pivot, or refine your innovation.
Summer is also a great time to attend industry conferences, trade shows, or academic events. These events can be a goldmine for networking and discovery—opportunities to talk to future users, partners, or mentors. When combined with the I-Corps approach, these conversations can help shape your direction with more clarity and confidence.
If you’re asking yourself, “Is now the right time?”, the answer is likely yes. Every entrepreneur benefits from understanding their customer better—whether you’re just starting out or working on your next big launch.
Summer may feel slower, but that’s exactly what makes it powerful. Use it to dig deeper, ask questions, and build a stronger foundation for what comes next.
Interested in joining an upcoming I-Corps cohort or want to talk through whether it’s a good fit? We’re happy to connect—reach out anytime at info@gp-icorps.org.
