Researchers To Turn Ideas into Impact in NSF I-Corps Program

For many university researchers, the path from laboratory discovery to real-world application can be daunting.

To help researchers demystify that process, The University of Texas at Dallas recently joined the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps (NSF I-Corps) Hub: Southwest, a group of nine other universities, led by UT Austin, that spans Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Through its national program and 13 regional hubs, NSF I-Corps develops and provides standardized, comprehensive training to faculty and researchers to help them move promising technologies to the marketplace.

“The Dallas and North Texas region is rich with research and development,” said Aprille Busch, executive director of the Southwest I-Corps Hub. “We are excited to partner with UT Dallas to help move this research to the market and increase the economic impact in the southwest region and beyond.”

A key feature of the training is customer discovery, a structured process in which researchers interview potential customers and stakeholders to understand better whether a real market exists for their ideas. Through these conversations, research teams can validate their assumptions, identify unmet needs and, if necessary, adjust their research direction to align better with industry demand.

As a partner institution, UT Dallas will deliver I-Corps programs to campus researchers and eventually to others in North Texas. UT Dallas will host its inaugural I-Corps cohorts in the fall.

“The NSF I-Corps program provides entrepreneurship training and support for researchers to transform their research from ideas to products,” said Dr. Joseph Pancrazio, UT Dallas vice president for research and innovation and professor of bioengineering.

“As a complement to our existing technology commercialization and entrepreneurship initiatives, the I-Corps program will enhance our ability to generate licensing agreements, create new companies and jobs, and leverage federally funded research for economic impact,” he said.

“As a complement to our existing technology commercialization and entrepreneurship initiatives, the I-Corps program will enhance our ability to generate licensing agreements, create new companies and jobs, and leverage federally funded research for economic impact.”

Dr. Joseph Pancrazio, UT Dallas vice president for research and innovation

Dr. Majid Minary, professor of mechanical engineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, is developing a technology that enables same-day, 3D-printed dental restorations made of zirconia, the gold-standard material for permanent dental work. His team is working to make the technology, which could be used for crowns, bridges, veneers and other restorations, commercially available with a grant (2431684) through the NSF’s Partnerships for Innovation – Technology Translation project.

Mahdi Mosadegh, a mechanical engineering doctoral student who is working on the project, recently participated in the seven-week national NSF I-Corps program, which included conducting customer-discovery interviews with dental industry professionals, from lab owners and prosthodontists to equipment suppliers and distributors.

“I-Corps taught me that great technology alone isn’t enough; you have to deeply understand who needs it and why,” Mosadegh said. “After over 100 conversations with dental professionals, I came back not just with market insights, but with new research ideas I never would have discovered in the lab alone. It expanded both the impact and the depth of our work.”

Participation in NSF I-Corps fits into UT Dallas’ broader strategy to strengthen technology transfer efforts and increase the success of University startups. For example, the Office of Technology Commercialization works with campus researchers to facilitate evaluation of technologies, patenting and licensing; provides seed funding for potential startups; and maintains relationships with industry partners and investors. The Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship also offers programs that equip students, alumni and faculty with practical skills to navigate the innovation ecosystem.

“Increasing faculty engagement with I-Corps will improve the likelihood of startup success and strengthen our commercialization efforts overall,” said Brent Schultze, senior director of technology commercialization. “We anticipate seeing more success stories emerge from UT Dallas.”