1. Introduction to SUNY ZAP!
May 15, pm EST
Instructors:
Azar Nazeri, Senior Technology Strategist at UCLA’s Institute of Technology Advancement and IN-LA NSF I-Corps Node, and
Tanya Waite, Partnership Manager at RFSUNY

2. Learning Objectives Understand the history of the NSF I-Corps
Learn about ZAP! and BOOM and how it transforms commercialization of academic research
Receive an overview of the business plan tool called the Business Model Canvas
Understand what to prepare for the SUNY ZAP! Session on May 23

3. NSF I-Corps Training
Instructional Webinars
Proposal Development Support and Writing
Curated One-on-One Mtgs with SBIR and STTR Program Managers
Other Just-in-Time Training

4. Why do we do it?

5. University Startups Increasing
* According to AUTM Licensing Activity Survey

6. #1 Startup Mistake Building something nobody wants

7. Why Is Customer Discovery Important?
The above image is from Thomas Kuhn’s book  The Structure of Scientific Revolution  which introduced “Paradigm shift” in 1962

8. Definition: Pivot – A rapid change in direction and focus informed by reality

9. Reduce the risk

10. Approach – NSF Methodology
Address the Top Reason: No Market Need
Developed in 2011
Get out of the lab and the university
Many other programs and agencies modeled a customer discovery program after the NSF I- Corps Program:
NYSERDA NEXUS-NY
DOE Energy I-Corps (National Labs only)
I-Corps at NIH
Accelerators and Incubators

11. I-Corps Network 9 I-Nodes 3,745 individuals trained
87 I-Sites $301M follow-on funds
1,315 teams 644 startups

12. NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Los Angeles Node at UCLA
Azar Nazeri
Melihe Bulu Taciroglu

13. SUNY ZAP!

14. “The most important thing we learned was to get out of the building — that is to gather information in person from similar businesses and potential customers,” - Ahmed Hussein, Doctoral Candidate, University at Albany
“SUNY ZAP! taught us how to present our idea in a focused and non- technical way. We will keep working on this...” - University at Albany Assistant Professor Hany Elgala

15. “My primary takeaway from SUNY ZAP
“My primary takeaway from SUNY ZAP! is defining value from the customer’s perspective,” Martin Arellano, Entrepreneur based at Stony Brook University’s Long Island High Tech Incubator. “You can’t assume that they see things the same way you do.”

16. Lean Startup Methodology

17. Can we find them and deliver?
Business Model Canvas
FEASIBILITY
VIABILITY
DESIRABILITY
Who are your
customers?
Can we find them and deliver?
Why will
customers
want it?
What are its advantages?

18. Guess
Guess
Guess
Guess
Guess
Guess
Guess
Guess
Guess

19. Fact
Fact
Fact
Fact
Fact
Fact
Fact
Fact
Fact

20. How to get from Guess to Fact?
Scientific Method - Form hypotheses
Get out of the building
Interview
Interpret: validate/invalidate
Form new hypotheses / pivots

21. Questions?

22. How Do I Qualify? Have an NSF grant in the last 5 years
Go through a regional I-Corps Program

23. NSF I-Corps Curriculum
Regional Programs
First step for qualifying for the National I-Corps program
Offered at I-Nodes and I-Sites across the county
Offered on a rolling basis
Curriculum based on Lean Start-up Methodology
Is designed and delivered by the Nodes and Sites
LA Node offers: ZAP & BOOM

24. LA-Node Team Recruiting Process
Invited to ZAP
University recruiting and on-site education
Must complete 5 interviews
Invited to BOOM
Only 2 online sessions
Must complete 10 interviews
Application to IN-LA sponsorship
Committee includes national faculty
Provide guidance on mentor-recruiting and team issues as needed
Application to national I-Corps
Our “sponsorship” = access to our grant as legacy
Communication with NSF to fast-track team

25. NSF I-Corps Curriculum
National Program
Must have successfully completed I-Site or I-Node program
Accepted to the National after recommendation of the I-Site or I-Node
Have passed the NSF interviews
Receive $50,000 grant
7-week Program offered by NSF and National NSF instructors
Offered in each quarter of the year, at I-Node sites

26. LA-Node I-Corps Team Process
ZAP!
2 sessions
Total of 8 hours
In-person
1 week apart
5 interviews
BOOM
Total of 3 hours
Online
10 interviews
National I-Corps
10 sessions
7 weeks
100 interviews
Combination of in-person and virtual
$50 k!!
LA-Node I-Corps Team Process

27. Homework SUNY ZAP! Dropbox folder
Read SUNY ZAP! Syllabus and Course Materials
Prepare a 2-slide introduction of your team

28. Homework Slide 1 Team name
Pictures/names of your team members
Logo (if applicable)
Product picture/description (1 sentence)

29. The Business Model Canvas Homework Slide 2

30. More Information I-Corps website: www.nsf.gov/i-corps
View a 28-minute video by NSF program manager at:
Steve Blank:
Udacity:
Talking to Humans:
Venturewell:

31. Matthew Mroz Director, Enterprise Technology Transfer Tel: Tanya Waite Partnership Manager Tel:
Contact Info