I-Corps@NCATS trains clinical and translational science teams to accelerate translation of research innovations into practice

Abstract

Introduction: A key barrier to translation of biomedical research discoveries is a lack of understanding among scientists regarding the complexity and process of implementation. To address this challenge, the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps™ (I-Corps™) program trains researchers in entrepreneurship. We report results from the implementation of an I-Corps™ training program aimed at biomedical scientists from institutions funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). Methods: National/regional instructors delivered 5-week I-Corps@NCATS short courses to 62 teams (150 individuals) across six institutions. Content included customer discovery, value proposition, and validating needs. Teams interviewed real-life customers and presented the value of innovations for specific end-users weekly, culminating in a “Finale” featuring their refined business thesis and business model canvas. Methodology was developed to evaluate the newly adapted program. National mixed-methods evaluation assessed program implementation, reach, effectiveness using observations of training delivery and surveys at Finale (n = 55 teams), and 3–12 months post-training (n = 34 teams). Results: Innovations related to medical devices (33%), drugs/biologics (20%), software applications (16%), and diagnostics (8%). An average of 24 interviews was conducted. Teams reported increased readiness for commercialization over time (83%, 9 months; 14%, 3 months). Thirty-nine percent met with institutional technology transfer to pursue licensing/patents and 24% pursued venture capital/investor funding following the short courses. Conclusions: I-Corps@NCATS training provided the NCATS teams a rigorous and repeatable process to aid development of a business model based on customer needs. Outcomes of this pilot program support the expansion of I-Corps™ training to biomedical scientists for accelerating research translation.

Designing for Dissemination and Sustainability to Promote Equitable Impacts on Health

“…Marketing and communication methods are particularly relevant to message design. The customer discovery and value proposition design approach, a method taught in the I-Corps@NCATS training program ( 117 ), yields validated message framing about the value of a dissemination product on metrics most important for the target audience and in the context of competing alternatives ( 125 ). Customer discovery and value proposition design has been used to develop positioning and key claims (e.g., business pitches) and distribution plans for dissemination products such as behavioral interventions ( 78 , 123 ) and research networks ( 109 , 110 ).…”

Training the next generation of translational scientists: The Case Western Reserve University Translational Fellows Program

“…To help our fellows understand customer discovery, we incorporated I-Corps@NCATS into the TFP. I-Corps@NCATS is a 5-week course, developed by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), based on the successful National Science Foundation I-Corps and I-Corps at NIH Entrepreneurial Training Program, both of which provide training in business modeling and the customer discovery process [7]. NCATS's goal of incorporating I-Corps best practices in a condensed way was to improve the health of communities by speeding up the process of moving new discoveries out of the research labs and into treatments for patients.…”

A multi-institutional partnership catalyzing the commercialization of medical devices and biotechnology products

“…The I-Corps short course program, a joint CAPCaT/UMCCTS initiative, is designed to support the commercialization of biomedical research by providing training in state-of-the-art methods and strategic guidance to faculty, staff, and students during the early phases of technology development [12]. The canonical I-Corps course offered by the NSF and NIH is intense, requiring 30þ hours of work per week for 7-8 weeks [13][14][15].…”