Use of Funds.  Funds are used to support the customer discovery process.  This may include, but is not limited to: acquisition of modest amounts of equipment or materials needed to fabricate prototypes; travel expenses to consult with potential clients or experts; training or education related to entrepreneurial immersion; or, other resources needed to directly advance the goals of transitioning a team’s project into the marketplace.

I-Corps Site support for an institution’s entrepreneurial teams should not be used for legal or administrative costs. Exceptions to the direct support of teams can be made for the costs of planning technical meetings for the direct benefit of entrepreneurial teams, providing those meetings contribute to the commercialization of team projects. We recommend consulting with the site’s managing team when in doubt.

Each team will be allowed to spend up to $2,400 (mini-grant) within 12 months that can be used for prototyping materials, travel, and other business expenses for teams from affiliated academic institutions. The team is required to provide final report of all expenditures to the Site’s managing team within the award’s time limit. Unspent balances shall be returned to the site’s account at UWM. These sub-awards are subject to NSF guidelines and reporting.