Programs

MIN-Corps offers many options to explore innovation commercialization.  Scroll down past the calendar for information about:  Lunch and Learns - Value Proposition Design Workshops - STARTUP - Emerging Opportunities from Partners -  Women Innovators Conference 

Lunch-and Learns

Innovation Commercialization and Entrepreneurship = Impact 

Open to undergrad and grad students, postdocs, research scientists and faculty.  Register HERE.

  • Section 1 - Feb. 17 11:30am-1pm
    • Title:  NSF I-Corps:  From Lab to Impact
  • Section 2 - Mar. 02 11:30am-1pm
    • Title:  Launching a Science/Tech Startup
  • Section 3 - Apr. 06 11:30am-1pm
    • Title:  Assessing a Science/Tech Business Opportunity
  • Section 4 - May 04 11:30am-1pm
    • Title:  Help!  Startup and Commercialization Resources

Increasing Impact Through Commercialization

Open to UMN Veterinary College participants only. Register HERE

  • Section 1 - Feb. 11 12-1:30pm
    • Title:  Intellectual Property Basics and Processes
  • Section 2 - Feb. 25 12-1:30pm
    • Title:  Working with a Corporate Research Partner or Sponsor
  • Section 3 - Mar. 17 12-1:30pm (St. Patrick's Day)
    • Title:  Experience of Veterinary Innovators Working in Startups or Established Companies
  • Section 4 - Apr. 07 12-1:30pm
    • Title:  Academic and Industry Researcher Roles in Commercialization

Value Proposition Design Workshops

Four hands-on sessions:  product-market fit, customer discovery, pathway to commercialization, market assessment. For university-based teams, NSF-funded grants (up to $3,000) are available for customer research. Successful completion by academic teams can lead to nomination to the I-Corps National Teams program, which includes a $50,000 grant. These workshops are also valuable for innovators planning to apply for SBIR/STTR grants.  Sessions include individual mentoring and advice from industry executives and entrepreneurs.  Program is free to academic partipants, $999 for non-university participants.  These workshops are designed to explore the potential commercialization of specific innovations.

Medical 
Feb 26, Mar 4, Mar 18, Apr 1
1:00-4:00 East Bank campus
Register HERE

Science & Engineering 
Feb 27, Mar 5, Mar 19, Apr 2
1:00-4:00 East Bank campus
Register HERE

Agriculture Food & Environment 
Feb 28, Mar 6, Mar 20, Apr 3
9:00-noon St Paul campus
Register HERE

StartUp: Customer Development and Testing

STARTUP: Customer Development & Testing (MGMT 5102) is an experiential 2-credit course for UMN undergrad and grad students interested in pursuing their own entrepreneurial ventures.  Students apply lean launchpad methods to test their value proposition and receive recurring feedback from instructors and mentors. Participating students are eligible to receive seed capital grants up to $3,000 to fund prototype development and customer discovery.

Apply here.

Emerging Opportunities from Partners

Discovery LaunchPad Logo

The following seminars will take place in Discovery Nexus in the McNamara Alumni Center on the UMN East Bank Campus, and livestreamed via Zoom. Click on the title to register:

Holmes Center Logo

Emerging Opportunities Forums on startup topics at the Carlson School of Management on the UMN West Bank Campus, and livestreamed via Zoom.  Click on the title to register: 

MN-SBIR Logo

The SBIR/STTR Accelerator TM cohort training and coaching provides guidance and direction from experts to prepare and submit a high-quality research proposato access SBIR/STTR fundingl. Apply HERE

  • National Science Foundation SBIR/STTR Cohort:  The NSF SBIR/STTR Cohort curriculum is delivered on an individual and customized basis. 
  • DHHS, NIH Cohort: Application Deadline: 5/15/2020. Six session program.  Classes take place 6/4/2020(9-5), then 9 – Noon 6/11, 6/18, 6/25, 7/9, 7/16

Women Innovators Conference

The annual Women Innovators Conference is a professional development summit designed to help female innovators connect the dots between their ideas and achieving a positive, significant impact. This event will inspire, inform, and connect women students, faculty, and business professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM) to strengthen and extend the diverse talent pool of women innovators in the Twin Cities.

The 2019 conference kicked off with "Innovation at the Speed of Laughter," an opening session led by Brave New Workshop, followed by an Applied Design Thinking workshop and two panels, "Translation: Insight to Real Life Innovation" and "Zigzag: Innovation Career Paths."  The event closed with Angie Conley, Founder, President, and CEO of MN Cup 2019 Grand Prize-winning company, Abilitech Medical.

 Check back for information about the 5th annual Women Innovators Conference, "Inclusive Innovation," which will take place in November 2020.