university of Maine I-Corps program

I-Corps helps foster innovation and entrepreneurship by providing faculty, staff and students with the tools and guidance needed to identify the market opportunity for their STEM-based research

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MarketMatch: Powered by I-Corps
Outdoor Innovations

Current Cohort Details

March 12 through April 16, 2026 (hybrid format)
Kickoff Workshop in Portland: March 12, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m
Week 2 – Office Hours #1 (Zoom)
Week 3 – Office Hours #2 (Zoom)
Wrap-up workshop in Portland: April 16 – 1:00 to 5:00 p.m

The Outdoor Innovations MarketMatch Cohort is a five-week customer discovery program designed to help teams assess the commercial potential of technology-enabled innovations for the outdoor industry.

Drawing from the NSF I-Corps methodology, participants will conduct structured interviews with potential customers, partners, and stakeholders to test assumptions, uncover real market needs, and reduce commercialization risk. The cohort supports teams developing innovations related to outdoor gear, apparel, materials, manufacturing processes, digital tools, and services that advance the outdoor recreation economy.
Innovations may range from B2C-focused products and services to STEM-driven technologies such as electronics (e.g., GPS, lighting, sensing, communications) and materials science solutions (e.g., advanced textiles, plastic alternatives, and filtration technologies). Through this hands-on, interview-driven process, participants refine their value propositions, gain clarity on product–market fit, and identify viable pathways to commercialization and growth.

Upcoming I-Corps Cohorts

Dates coming soon for Summer and Fall 2026!

I-Corps @ UMaine helps foster innovation and entrepreneurship by providing faculty, staff, and students with the tools and guidance needed to identify the market opportunity for their STEM-based research. It’s an excellent first step in exploring the commercialization potential of a novel technology/solution.

The program is divided into two parts: Spark and Fusion.

Research teams receive hands-on training that allows them to gain beneficial insights into the challenges and opportunities within an industry that could transform their technological discoveries into highly desirable products and services that meet the needs of customers and users.

I-Corps Spark @ UMaine runs five weeks and begins with a half-day kickoff session. Participants will learn how to evaluate if their technology has applications and benefits that meet the needs of potential customers and users in the real world.

Teams are expected to conduct at least 12 customer or relevant party interviews throughout the Spark program. They will participate in two coaching sessions designed to ensure teams are making progress as they test their hypothesis, and to adjust their queries as they learn new information from their potential markets.

The course concludes with a second half-day session, during which teams will deliver a “Lessons Learned” presentation. This presentation will cover what they learned through their customer discovery interviews and how they plan to continue applying their technology to the industries they have explored.

I-Corps Spark teams can be made up of one to five members, although teams of at least two members are highly encouraged. I-Corps Spark teams can be from any industry and do not need to have an affiliation with the University of Maine.

I-Corps Fusion @ UMaine operates on an individually scheduled basis and is coordinated in conjunction with the New England Hub leadership team at MIT. Ideally, participating teams align their Fusion program with an industry conference or similar event where they can gain deep exposure to an industry in a very short period of time.Teams are expected to conduct at least 12 additional customer or relevant party interviews throughout the Fusion program. They will participate in a planning session to ensure their plan to complete interviews aligns with the hypothesis they are looking to test. Once a mutually agreed-upon plan is in place, Fusion teams will conduct their interviews in accordance with the plan designed for them.

Upon completion of their interviews, Fusion teams will deliver a “Lessons Learned” presentation. Again, this presentation will cover what they learned through their customer discovery interviews and how they plan to continue applying their technology to the industries they have explored.

I-Corps Fusion teams must include at least two members – an Entrepreneurial Lead (EL) and a Technical Lead (TL). I-Corps Fusion teams must be working on technology-based innovations in an industry and need to have an affiliation with the University of Maine. I-Corps Fusion teams have access to a modest stipend to help offset the costs for travel and expenses related to completing their interviews.

  • Gain professional development experience for work in academia, industry, and startups
  • Learn about potential customer interests and needs
  • Learn the fundamentals of technology commercialization
  • Broaden the impacts of NSF funded proposals and grants
  • Prepare to apply to the NSF I-Corps Teams program or other commercialization programs offered by UMaine and other organizations.

Ideas and technologies for projects can originate from student work, research (funded or unfunded), institutional, or industrial projects. The topical focus of a project must be in the area(s) of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) normally supported by the National Science Foundation. Innovations in the humanities, business, social sciences and interdisciplinary fields are also eligible if there is a technology application.

Teams for I-Corps @ UMaine can comprise one to five participants, although teams of at least two members are highly encouraged, as this makes customer discovery interviewing more efficient.Although team roles for I-Corps Spark are less formalized, participants looking to participate in I-Corps Fusion, other innovation programs at UMaine, or apply to the NSF I-Corps Teams program will be required to fill the following three roles:

Entrepreneurial Lead (EL) – This individual should possess relevant knowledge of the technology and a deep commitment to investigating the market opportunity for the innovation.

Technical Lead (TL) – This individual should possess deep and direct technical expertise in the actual core innovation. This person typically also serves as the Principal Investigator.

Industry Mentor (IM) – This person will typically be an experienced or emerging entrepreneur with proximity to UMaine and experience in transitioning technology from academia, but is independent of the technology development and team. As teams progress beyond I-Corps Spark, program staff members can assist with identifying a potential industry mentor.

Questions?

Email anthony.durante@maine.edu.