NSF National Deaf Innovation Challenge

Eligibility

• Each team must be represented by a college/university and must be made up of at least two deaf and/or hard-of-hearing members or be led by a deaf or hard-of-hearing student.
• Team members must be affiliated with a college/university at the time of submission. Alumni are eligible.
• Members of the team must be committed for up to one year to receive coaching from I-Corps.
• Must have a coach, or another designated representative from the college/university program. A coach may be a member of the faculty, staff, or another designated representative.
• More than one team from a single college/university is permitted.
• The idea cannot be based on an already existing operational business venture.
• The idea must be STEM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math).

Requirements

First round:

Each team will submit an application and a 10-minute video that is a concise and well-practiced description of a new innovative STEM-based business idea. The 10-minute video should include:

• The innovation idea and the problem that it’s intended to solve.
• An explanation of the scientific concepts behind the idea.
• The feasibility of the idea and potential benefits for consumers.
• The market and the size of the market for this innovation.
• Your competitive advantage
• Your team structure/roles
• Plan for development of the idea

The top two winning teams will be selected for participation in the full I-Corps training program. This training program will involve weekly online coaching and mentoring as well as the completion of training modules involving accessible videos. Each of the winning teams will receive $3000 for the development of their prototype or customer discovery travel. Teams that are not selected, will have access to all I-Corps online materials, but will not receive I-Corps funding or personalized mentoring.

Second Round:

For the final round, the three teams will submit a final 10-minute video. This video, will include a refined version of their original idea (based on training, mentoring, and coaching) and should cover the following:

• The innovation idea and the problem that it’s intended to solve.
• The feasibility of the idea and potential benefits for consumers.
• The market and the size of the market for this innovation.
• How your idea has evolved throughout the I-Corps training program
• Plans for future/execution of business or idea

One finalist will be selected from the three teams and will be designated the NSF National Deaf Innovation Challenge champion. The first-place team will continue to receive personalized coaching and mentoring for 10 weeks from qualified I-Corps coaches and mentors. The winning team will receive an additional $3000 for prototyping or customer discovery travel.

** I-Corps coaches/mentors will work with the other two teams to explore their potential entry into the National I-Corps program.

Application

Before starting the online application, be prepared to answer the following:

1. Describe your early-stage product or service that has a foreseeable commercial impact. These ideas will need to be STEM-based (science, technology, engineering, or math).
2. How is your idea unique?
3. What problem does your idea seek to solve or what gap in the marketplace does it seek to fill?
4. Describe your target market.
5. Who are the potential consumers and/or users?
6. What value does this product or service add to their lives?
7. Describe any potential challenges you see in delivering this product or service.
8. Do you have a coach for your team? A coach may be a member of the faculty, staff, or another designated representative of your college.

Applications for the Fall 2024 Cohort are now open! Please apply here: https://www.tfaforms.com/5138886

Contact

For more information, contact Scot Atkins.

Recent Winners