University of Iowa faculty interested in learning how to translate their research into a device, service, or business are invited to apply to the UI’s Faculty Innovators Workshop, a four-week version of the UI Venture School designed to help participants develop marketable ideas and accelerate the startup process.

The next cohort starts Oct. 25, and workshop sessions run from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 25, Nov. 1, Nov. 9, and Nov. 15 in Room 1459 of the Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building.

Named a National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Corps Site, the University of Iowa developed the Faculty Innovators Workshop to help those interested in learning more about innovation, the SBIR/STTR grant process, and commercialization. 

Participants will be introduced to the Lean Launchpad methodology, the Business Model Canvas, and Customer Discovery. At the conclusion of the program, participants are encouraged to proceed with Venture School’s main program, or the national NSF I-Corps program.

Participants will also receive an NSF micro-grant of $2,500 to help them develop a prototype, attend an industry conference or tradeshows, or conduct in-depth market research. MBA students are on hand to help faculty and graduate students with market research and act as consultants throughout the workshop.   

Since starting this program last year, the Faculty Innovators Workshop has worked with 36 faculty and graduate student teams with seven of these teams moving on to the national I-Corps program and receiving an additional $50,000 in funding.  Teams participating in these programs have a significantly higher success rate of winning SBIR/STTR grants. 

Visit www.facultyinnovators.com or contact UI Ventures Director Paul Dymerski (paul-dymerski@uiowa.edu) for more information about the October and January cohorts.