I-Corps

Spring 2026
*Now Accepting*

Applications Due: Sunday, February 1
Teams Selected: Friday, February 6

Week 1: Friday, Feb 27 Group Meeting
Week 2: Friday, March 6 Individual Meeting
Week 3: Friday, March 13 Group Meeting
Week 4: Friday, March 20 Individual Meeting
Friday, March 27 No Meeting
Week 5: Friday, April 3 Group Meeting
Week 6: Friday, April 10 I-Corps Finale

All I-Corps meeting sessions will be held virtually.
Group Meetings will be held 12pm – 2:30pm ET.
Individual Meetings will be scheduled for 30-minute time slots between 9am and 3pm ET on the dates listed

Summer 2026
*Opening Soon*

Applications Due: Sunday, May 10
Teams Selected: Friday, May 15

Week 1: Friday, June 5 Group Meeting
Week 2: Friday, June 12 Individual Meeting
Week 3: Friday, June 19 Group Meeting
Week 4: Friday, June 26 Individual Meeting
Friday, July 3 No Meeting
Week 5: Friday, July 10 Group Meeting
Week 6: Friday, July 17 I-Corps Finale

All I-Corps meeting sessions will be held virtually.
Group Meetings will be held 12pm – 2:30pm ET.
Individual Meetings will be scheduled for 30-minute time slots between 9am and 3pm ET on the dates listed

UA's I-Corps program is
all about customer discovery!

The I-Corps Program supports teams through an intensive 6-meeting critical evaluation. Our goal is to help faculty, students, and the community answer important questions about their business, product or technology idea through coaching and direct customer interactions.

The I-Corps program can help you:

Get clarity on your customer
Learn and apply best practices on the business model canvas
Get direct feedback on your business idea
Expand your network and access needed resources
Level up your business!

Graduated 502 Teams

12,000 Customer Interviews
Completed By Teams

60 New Startup
Companies Launched

Raised Over $35 Million
In Funding

Not sure you are ready for I-Corps today,
but want to participate in the future?

Eligible Participants

UA's I-Corps Program is open to faculty, student and community led teams. You can apply to I-Corps in many ways:

University Teams
Teams comprised of at least one faculty member (Academic Lead), one or more students (Entrepreneurial Leads) and, typically, one or more Mentors. Faculty from all colleges and departments, and other Ohio universities, are encouraged to apply.

Students
Students from any university can apply independently to assist an existing team in assessing their business idea as a way to learn about entrepreneurship and build their resumes.

Community Teams
Teams comprised of at least one entrepreneur or aspiring entrepreneur (Entrepreneurial Leads) and, typically, one or more Mentors. Applicants should be based in Northeast Ohio, but need not be affiliated with The University of Akron.

Mentors
Mentors can apply to join and assist a participating team as a way to see new ventures and share their expertise. Email [email protected] to request a list of the cohort innovation descriptions.

What is in the program?

If selected for the I-Corps Program, teams will attend
a 6-meeting training session that requires them to:

Conduct at least 21 interviews with potential customers or end users
Perform preliminary market research and competitive analysis
Present their progress and evolving business idea multiple times
Meet with mentors and instructors to receive candid feedback

For more detail, see the full I-Corps schedule.

The University of Akron is an Affiliate of the Great Lakes Region I-Corps Hub

The application process:

Applications are accepted anytime and will be evaluated prior to the next I-Corps cohort. Each application will be assessed on the background and commitment of the team members, uniqueness of the business idea, the market and business model, and the fit with the goals and competencies of UA's I-Corps Program.