I-Corps
Also known as: NSF I-Corps, NIH I-Corps
A National Science Foundation program that trains researchers and innovators in customer discovery methodology for technology commercialization.
Full Definition
NSF I-Corps and NIH I-Corps apply a structured customer discovery methodology based on the Lean Startup framework. Teams conduct a minimum of 100 customer discovery interviews over a 7-week program. The GAITS programs complement I-Corps with healthcare-specific frameworks (VERITAS, H-BMC) that address the unique complexity of healthcare markets — particularly the separation of users and economic buyers and the role of regulatory and reimbursement pathways.
Example
An NSF I-Corps team completes 100 discovery interviews and uses the H-BMC to map their healthcare business model, identifying that their initial user assumption was correct but their economic buyer assumption required fundamental revision.