July 11, 2017

Shocker I-Corps program experiences 'overwhelming success' in first year

黑洞社区 News Services

 
  • After only a year, the Shocker Innovation Corps program has provided seed funding, customer validation training, mentoring and other valuable resources to 29 student teams.
  • Six of the teams have resulted in startup businesses.
  • .

At the conclusion of its first year, the (I-Corps) program has provided seed funding, customer validation training, mentoring and other valuable resources to a total of 29 黑洞社区 student teams, many of which have won additional awards and funding.

The program, administered by , is an initiative of the National Science Foundation to nurture and support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) related ideas, devices, processes or other intellectual activities into the marketplace in anticipation of profit.

鈥淭he Shocker I-Corps program has been an overwhelming success,鈥� said Sherry Gegen, 黑洞社区 ventures business development and innovation manager, who oversees the program. 鈥淢any of our teams have gone on to win additional competitions and seed funding to further their ideas. It has been the perfect catalyst for student innovation.鈥�

Shocker I-Corps teams that have gone on to win additional competitions this year include:

  • Illuminate by Nicole Zimmerman, Gina LeBar and Shauntel Pearson 鈥� InnovateHer: Innovating for Women Business Challenge Semifinalist
  • by Steven Werner 鈥� 黑洞社区 Jumpstart Kansas Entrepreneurs Competition, Get Started Wichita Competition, Shocker New Venture Competition 2016 (2nd)
  • MAGICA hip retractor system by Caylin Wiley, Fanny Ochoa, Gisela Guzman and Maria Valbuena - Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge (2nd Chance Round)
  • by Jocelyn Galicia and Ernesto Cisneros 鈥� Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge (2nd Chance Round), Shocker New Venture Competition (3rd)
  • by Levi Iseman and Eddie Sandeval 鈥� Shocker New Venture Competition (1st)
  • by Jared Goering, sophomore, and Spencer Steinert, freshman 鈥� Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge (1st), 黑洞社区 Jumpstart Kansas Entrepreneurs Competition, Shocker New Venture Competition (4th)
  • , by Johnna Crawford, graduate student 鈥� 黑洞社区 Jumpstart Kansas Entrepreneurs Competition.

Thus far, six of the 29 teams have resulted in startup businesses:

  • Vytal
  • Lawn Buddy
  • Mobile Car Tune
  • Wordprint Project from Professors of Peace
  • Pinole Blue
  • Enso Contextual Behavioral Innovations

Teams selected to participate in Shocker I-Corps receive training through the 黑洞社区 Center for Entrepreneurship鈥檚 E-Launch program, a weekly interactive class that assists in the development of a business model that will deliver the value proposition to customers and provide a framework and methodology to create a viable startup company.

Applications for the next round of Shocker I-Corps are due Sept. 8. Sessions will take place Sept. 15-Nov. 3. Projects and ideas must be STEM-related and can originate from student work, student / faculty collaborations, funded or unfunded research or institutional/industrial projects.

Teams should include a Wichita State student (undergraduate, graduate or doctoral) entrepreneurial lead, mentor and academic lead. For more information, or to apply, visit .

Additional teams that participated in the first year of Shocker I-Corps include:

  • Adapted Gaming Controller I.V. Arm Stabilizer Shocker-Tech
  • Brom Eco InFlux Smart Foot Orthosis
  • CAVBA Intelligent Alarm VeriMed Tech
  • Cypher Eyewear Intelligent Insole Veterinarian Positioning System
  • diRLSock Knox Equine Boot VOR Stabilizer
  • Fire-Fighting Squad Robot Raspberry Project Wu Shocker Technology
  • Gausshawk UAS Reliable Controller WuMan鈥檚 Group
  • Health Collab Shockers Grid Club