I-Corps @ NIH

AxNano was selected to participate in the prestigious I-Corps™ program through their NIEHS STTR Phase I contract. Based on the highly successful NSF I-Corps™ program, the I-Corps™ at NIH curriculum is designed to provide scientists from NIH SBIR funded companies with real-world, hands-on entrepreneurship training, facilitated by domain experts from the biotech sector. 

This program seeks to accelerate the development and commercialization of new products and services arising from projects supported by currently funded NIH/CDC Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards. In particular, the I-Corps™ program is designed to support training that will help project teams at NIH and CDC funded small businesses overcome key obstacles along the path of innovation and commercialization.

The course began with a three-day intensive “Entrepreneurial Immersion” course, followed by an 8-week I-Corps™ training curriculum with online instruction, and ending with a two-day report-out session. During the I-Corp™s program, the AxNano Team conducted 112 interviews (67 in person, 45 on the phone) with environmental consultants, remediation material suppliers and sales reps, site owners, regulators, and drillers/applicators.

Stellar team delivered brilliant results!
AxNano 's three member team included Alexis Wells Carpenter (PI), Charlie Gause (CEO) and Phil Rahn (Industry Expert) representing a first selection of Superfund Research Program supported teams into an I-Corps™ cohort.