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Program

NSF I-Corps

Helps United States research teams in NSF I-Corps test market fit through customer discovery and commercialization coaching.

National Science FoundationUnited StatesGrant

NSF I-Corps is NSF's customer-discovery and translation program for U.S.-based research teams. It helps teams test whether a technical idea has a real market path, and the program is aimed at early deep-tech translation rather than a general research grant.

The standard award is $50,000 for Teams, with about 150 cohorts a year. The cycle is annual, the eligible band sits roughly between TRL 2 and…

Max award$50K
Realistic median$50K
Success rateOver 30%
Decision time—

No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Annual.

Last verified: 11 May 2026Source: new.nsf.gov