Advancing Research toward Commercialization: UIC Innovation and NSF I-Corps
Research Development Brown Bag Lunch Webinars
February 26, 2026
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM America/Chicago
Ready to explore the real-world impact of your research? Join us for a webinar on how UIC Innovation helps faculty, researchers and staff translate discoveries into practical applications through industry partnerships and programs like NSF I-Corps.
I-Corps offers researchers the opportunity to:
- Gain real market and customer insights through structured interviews.
- Build an entrepreneurial mindset and practical commercialization skills.
- Strengthen future NSF proposals and funding opportunities.
- Access travel grants for industry and innovation conferences.
- Be 60% more likely to secure follow-on funding.
About NSF I-Corps at UIC
UIC’s iteration of the program has been historically managed by UIC Innovation. NSF I-Corps at UIC is a hands-on program for scientists, engineers, and researchers to test and validate the real-world relevance of their innovations. Using the nationally recognized NSF I-Corps curriculum and Lean LaunchPad® methodology, teams engage in customer discovery, uncover unmet market needs, and explore viable commercialization pathways.
In this session, we’ll hear from Avi Mayerhoff, who will help demystify the innovation ecosystem at UIC. He will highlight how the I‑Corps program and UIC Innovation’s broader resources can support your research at any stage. Whether you’re just beginning to explore a new idea or aiming to expand your impact, this webinar will outline the pathways available to advance your work toward implementation and commercialization.
Your research has potential. Let’s prove it!
Speaker: Avi Mayerhoff, Director of Corporate Partnerships and Site Director for NSF I‑Corps at UIC, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, UIC.
Date posted
Jan 27, 2026
Date updated
Jan 27, 2026