From Research to Real-World Impact: An Introduction to NSF I-Corps and the Mid-South Hub
This presentation introduces NSF I-Corps as a national, evidence-based entrepreneurship program designed to accelerate the translation of research into real-world applications. The session will clarify what I-Corps is—and is not—by emphasizing its focus on customer discovery, problem validation, and informed decision-making rather than business plan development or pitch preparation. Participants will gain an understanding of how the I-Corps methodology, grounded in Lean Startup principles and the scientific method, helps research teams reduce commercialization risk, validate market need, and determine appropriate pathways for impact.
The talk will also examine the NSF I-Corps Hub model, with a specific focus on the Mid-South Hub. Attendees will learn how regional hubs function as connective infrastructure linking universities, industry, startups, and economic development organizations to strengthen innovation ecosystems and support inclusive regional growth. Through examples and impact highlights, the session will illustrate how I-Corps supports researchers, founders, students, and community innovators at varying stages of readiness and how regional and national I-Corps programs fit together as a coherent pipeline.
Presenters
Shannon Ware is the Lead Regional Instructor for the NSF I-Corps Mid-South Hub and an experienced entrepreneurial coach specializing in Lean Startup methodology and customer discovery. Since 2018, she has led more than 20 NSF I-Corps regional cohorts at Vanderbilt University and has served as an instructor on six NSF I-Corps National cohorts, supporting teams across a wide range of deep-technology and research-driven domains. Shannon is also a lead instructor for entrepreneurial programs at Vanderbilt University and plays a central role in building instructor capacity, strengthening regional ecosystems, and advancing high-quality entrepreneurship education across the Mid-South.
Dr. Mark Hilton, Technology Scout Lead, Mid-South I-Corps Hub, is a scientist turned entrepreneur. After completing his PhD at Vanderbilt University in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, he co-founded Optomar Technologies, where he served as COO while developing wearable technology to combat malnourishment within critical care settings, improving health outcomes and decreasing costs. Mark now advises and consults deep technology startups and serves as the Technology Scout Lead for the NSF I-Corps Mid-South Hub. In his role with the Mid-South Hub, he is tasked with identifying promising technologies and innovators and providing resources needed to accelerate economic development within the Mid-South region.