{"678077":{"#nid":"678077","#data":{"type":"news","title":"National Science Foundation Awards $15M to Georgia Tech-Led Consortium\u00a0 of Universities for Societal-Oriented Innovation and Commercialization Effort ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENational Science Foundation Awards $15M to Georgia Tech-Led Consortium\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eof Universities for Societal-Oriented Innovation and Commercialization Effort\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMulti-state I-Corps Hubs project designed to strengthen regional innovation ecosystem and address inequities in access to capital and commercialization opportunities\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EATLANTA \u2014 \u003C\/strong\u003EThe National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a syndicate of 8eight Southeast universities \u2014 with Georgia Tech as the lead \u2014 a $15 million grant to support the development of a regional innovation ecosystem with a focus on addressing underrepresentation and increasing entrepreneurship and technology-oriented workforce development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Southeast Hub, as the project is called, is a five-year project and is based on the I-Corps model, which assists academics in moving their research from the lab and into the market.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELed by Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/commercialization.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EOffice of Commercialization\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEnterprise Innovation Institute\u003C\/a\u003E, the NSF I-Corps Southeast Hub encompasses four states \u2014 Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and Alabama.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIts member schools include:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EClemson University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMorehouse College\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EUniversity of Alabama\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EUniversity of Central Florida\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EUniversity of Florida\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EUniversity of Miami\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EUniversity of South Florida\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn January 2025, when the NSF I-Corps Southeast Hub officially launches, the consortium of schools will expand to also include the University of Puerto Rico. Additionally, through Morehouse College\u2019s activation, Spelman College and the Morehouse School of Medicine will also participate in supporting the project.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith a combined economic output of more than $3.2 trillion, the NSF I-Corps Southeast Hub region represents more than 11% of the entire U.S. economy. As a region, those states and Puerto Rico have a larger economic output than France, Italy, or Canada.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is a great opportunity for us to engage in regional collaboration to drive innovation across the Southeast to strengthen our regional economy and that of Puerto Rico,\u201d said the Enterprise Innovation Institute\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/nakiamelecio\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENakia Melecio\u003C\/a\u003E, director of the NSF I-Corps Southeast Hub. As director, Melecio will oversee strategic management, data collection, and overall operations\u200b.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EAdditionally, Melecio serves as a national faculty instructor for the NSF I-Corps program.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u201cThis also allows us to collectively tackle some of the common challenges all four of our states face, especially when it comes to being intentionally inclusive in reaching out to communities that historically haven\u2019t always been invited to participate,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat means not just bringing solutions to market that not only solve problems but is intentional about including researchers from a diversity of schools that are inclusive of Black and Hispanic serving institutions, Melecio said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/keithmcgreggor\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EKeith McGreggor\u003C\/a\u003E, director of Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/venturelab.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EVentureLab\u003C\/a\u003E, is the faculty lead and charged with designing the curriculum and instruction for the NSF I-Corps Southeast Hub\u2019s partners.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMcGreggor has extensive I-Corps experience. In 2012, Georgia Tech was among the first institutions in the country selected to teach the I-Corps curriculum, which aims to further research commercialization. McGreggor served as the lead instructor for I-Corps-related efforts and led training efforts across the Southeast, as well as for teams in Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Republic of Ireland.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/raghupathy-sivakumar\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERaghupathy \u201cSiva\u201d Sivakumar\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Tech\u2019s vice president of commercialization, is the project\u2019s principal investigator.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe NSF I-Corps Southeast Hub is one of three \u2014 the others being in the Northwest and New England regions, led by the University of California, Berkeley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, respectively \u2014 announced by the NSF. The three I-Corps Hubs are part of the NSF\u2019s planned expansion of its National Innovation Network, which now includes 128 colleges and universities across 48 states.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs designed, the NSF I-Corps Southeast Hub will leverage its partner institutions\u2019 strengths to break down barriers to researchers\u2019 pace of lab to market commercialization.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur Hub member schools collectively have brought transformative technologies to market in advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, cybersecurity, and the biomedical sectors,\u201d Sivakumar said. \u201cOur goal is to accomplish two things. It builds and expands a scalable model to translate research into viable commercial ventures. It also addresses societal needs, not just from the standpoint of bringing solutions that solve them but building a diverse pipeline of researchers and innovators and interest in STEM [science, technology, engineering, and math]-related fields.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EU.S. Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta) is a proponent of the Hub\u2019s STEM component.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs a biology major-turned-Congresswoman, I know firsthand that STEM education and research open doors far beyond the lab or classroom.,\u201d Williams said. \u201cThis National Science Foundation grant means Georgia Tech will be leading the way in equipping researchers and grad students to turn their discoveries into real-world impact \u2014 as innovators, entrepreneurs, and business leaders.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m especially excited about the partnership with Morehouse College and other Minority Serving Institutions through this Innovation Hub, expanding pathways to innovation and entrepreneurship for historically marginalized communities and creating one more tool to close the racial wealth gap.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat STEM aspect, coupled with supporting growth of a regional ecosystem, will speed commercialization, increase higher education-industry collaborations, and boost the network of diverse entrepreneurs and startup founders, said David Bridges, vice president of the Enterprise Innovation Institute.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis multi-university, regional approach is a successful model because it has been proven that bringing a diversity of stakeholders together leads to unique solutions to very difficult problems,\u201d Bridges said. \u201cAnd while the Southeast faces different challenges that vary from state to state and Puerto Rico has its own needs, they call for a more comprehensive approach to solving them. Adopting a region-oriented focus allows us to understand what these needs are, customize tailored solutions and keep not just our hub but our nation economically competitive.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Multi-state I-Corps Hubs project designed to strengthen regional innovation ecosystem and address inequities in access to capital and commercialization opportunities "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMulti-state I-Corps Hubs project designed to strengthen regional innovation ecosystem and address inequities in access to capital and commercialization opportunities\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Multi-state I-Corps Hubs project designed to strengthen regional innovation ecosystem and address inequities in access to capital and commercialization opportunities "}],"uid":"36434","created_gmt":"2024-11-01 12:47:19","changed_gmt":"2024-11-01 12:59:19","author":"lcameron30","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675506":{"id":"675506","type":"image","title":"NSF Trio Image","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFrom left, Georgia Tech\u2019s Nakia Melecio, Keith McGreggor, and Raghupathy \u201cSiva\u201d Sivakumar, are the NSF I-Corps Southeast Hub director, faculty lead, and principal investigator, respectively.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1730465425","gmt_created":"2024-11-01 12:50:25","changed":"1730465637","gmt_changed":"2024-11-01 12:53:57","alt":"From left, Georgia Tech\u2019s Nakia Melecio, Keith McGreggor, and Raghupathy \u201cSiva\u201d Sivakumar, are the NSF I-Corps Southeast Hub director, faculty lead, and principal investigator, respectively.","file":{"fid":"259136","name":"NSF New-Trio-300x169.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/01\/NSF%20New-Trio-300x169.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/01\/NSF%20New-Trio-300x169.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":18133,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/01\/NSF%20New-Trio-300x169.jpg?itok=PqZMsYKk"}}},"media_ids":["675506"],"groups":[{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EP\u00e9ralte Paul\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["peralte@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}