Advance Customer Discovery Application

This six-week online program builds on the foundational skills developed in Starting Line and the I-Corps program by guiding participants through a deeper, more rigorous exploration of customer discovery and the business model canvas. The program helps individuals move beyond basic concepts to analyze customer needs, validate assumptions, and refine their value propositions with greater clarity and confidence.

Spring 2026
*Now accepting.*

Applications Due: Monday, January 12
Teams Selected: Tuesday, January 13

Week 1: Tuesday, January 20
Week 2: Tuesday, January 27
Week 3: Tuesday, February 3
Week 4: Tuesday, February 10
Week 5: Tuesday, February 17
Tuesday, February 24 No Meeting
Week 6: Tuesday, March 3

All ACD meeting sessions will be held virtually.
First Meetings will be held 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm ET, and the rest of the Meetings will be held 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm ET.

Apply For Advanced Customer Discovery (ACD)

1. Tell Us About You

* Indicates required field

I am a... *

My name is... *

My Address/Business Address is... *

Line 1

Line 2

City

State

Zip Code

Country

My email is... *

My phone number is... *

My I-Corps team name or invention name is... (Use your I-Corps Team Name)(shorter is better - limit 30 characters) *

2. Your Team

I am working with ________ on this business idea. *

Is your team using any intellectual property owned or created by a university or college? *

No, Community-Owned Yes, University-Owned

Have you Completed I-Corps from UARF? *

Yes No

If Yes, When did you complete the I-Corps? *

Has the innovation you are bringing to this cohort received any funding from the National Science Foundation? *

No Yes Unsure

If you are working with a fellow entrepreneur, a faculty member, a graduate student, or an undergraduate student, and they will actively participate on your Advanced Customer Discovery team, please list their details below.

Name *

Email *

Phone *

Name *

Email *

Phone *

Briefly describe the relevant experience of you and your team members. (75 words or less) *

3. Your IDEA

These answers are used when we select teams for participation. Do not disclose any intellectual property here. We need to know enough about your team to compare your application competitively. Keep in mind that our reviewers have different backgrounds. It will benefit you to use non-technical language that is accessible to a general audience.

Which of the following categories best describes your business's/project's area of focus? *

Please provide a non-technical description of your product/service idea and what value it provides (75 words or less). *

What has happened with your business idea since you completed the I-Corps course? (75 words or less). *

Who will buy this product/service? Be as specific as you can about titles but not contact names. (75 words or less) *

How is your solution different from your competitors' offerings? (75 words or less) *

4. Your Interest in ACD

Why do you want to participate in ACD? *

5. Your Mentor

Do you have a mentor who will participate in the ACD program with you? *

If you do have a mentor already, please provide their information below:

Name *

Email *

Phone *

Submit