Type I: I-Corp Site: Idea 2 Impact GO (I2I GO) - Driving the Innovation Ecosystem at East Carolina University to Build New Enterprises for the Benefit of Rural Eastern NC

Award ID: 1735753

This project, from East Carolina University (ECU), creates an NSF I-Corps Site at this institution. NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Sites are NSF-funded entities established at universities whose purpose is to nurture and support multiple, local teams to transition their technology concepts into the marketplace. Sites provide infrastructure, advice, resources, networking opportunities, training and modest funding to enable groups to transition their work into the marketplace or into becoming I-Corps Team applicants. I-Corps Sites also strengthen innovation locally and regionally and contribute to the National Innovation Network of mentors, researchers, entrepreneurs and investors. ECU's I-Corp Site program, titled Idea 2 Impact GO (I2I GO), is designed to be an economic driver for eastern North Carolina by 1) engaging faculty, staff, students, and local industry partners in the ideation process; 2) improving assessment of ideas for product market fit before extensive resources are invested; and 3) making resources available to develop preliminary models or prototypes for demonstration of product potential to likely customers. I2I GO enables key resource providers, such as ECU's Office of Innovation and Economic Development, the Office of Public Service and Community Relations, the College of Business, the Miller School of Entrepreneurship, and regional industry and economic development partners to merge together to produce greater outcomes together than as independent agents. The collective resources of these and other providers have been defined, cataloged, and reflected in the newly established Idea 2 Impact (I2I) portal. I2I utilizes proven approaches to innovation and commercialization, including Human Centered Design Thinking, Lean LaunchPad, Value Proposition Design and the Business Model Canvas. Combined with facilities such as this institution's Idea Lab, Innovation Design Lab, MakerBot Innovation Center and Greenville SEED @ ECU, along with skilled faculty and facilitators, the outcome of I2I GO will provide greater success in identifying new product commercialization and license opportunities and increased potential for more start-up companies to ECU is located centrally in a 31 county rural region of eastern North Carolina consisting of many economically distressed communities. While ECU's student population of 29,000 students derive from throughout North Carolina and beyond, 50% of its students are from the region east of Interstate 95. This area has traditionally benefited from industries in support of agriculture, forestry and fishing. Textile manufacturing played a vital role in the economy but overseas labor drew away many of these jobs. Many of ECU's students find a lack of available jobs in their home towns once they graduate with newly acquired skills so they leave home to find jobs elsewhere. For these reasons, much of ENC has faced declining populations. Eight of 31 counties in this region have experienced negative population growth of 15% to 33% and thirteen other counties have growth of 0% of -14%. These factors directly affect the pipeline of ECU students who are forced to find employment while attending college. 71% of first year ECU students report the need to secure part time employment while attending college. ECU's vision of success for the I-Corps Site is to build an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem that will generate jobs for every student growing up in eastern North Carolina. The partnerships established by I2I GO will have a direct effect on the growth of new businesses and jobs throughout eastern North Carolina.

NSF Program Director: Molly Wasko