Innovation in Action: I-Corps™ Teams in the News

Founded in 2011, the National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps™ program has supported thousands of scientists and engineers in transforming their inventions into real-world impact, fueling a nationwide innovation ecosystem and accelerating the path from lab to market.

VentureWell is proud to have supported the I-Corps™ program since its inception, delivering immersive, hands-on, entrepreneurial training to help innovators navigate the journey from research to commercialization.

The results speak for themselves. As of September 2024, more than 3,231 teams have participated in the program, collectively raising over $7 billion in follow-on funding. The companies that have emerged continue to make headlines as they bring breakthrough solutions to life across sectors like healthcare, agriculture, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing.

Below, we’ve compiled a selection of recent news stories featuring the work and progress of I-Corps™ teams, highlighting the ongoing impact of this powerful national program.

109 Therapeutics, Inc.

Rebel Medicine Announces Series A Financing and Investigational New Drug (IND) Application Opening to Advance Non‑Opioid Pain Therapeutic into Clinical Development

Alva Health

CTIA Wireless Foundation Announces Finalists in Catalyst 2025 Grant Program

Aquagga

Aquagga, Inc. Demonstrates Successful PFAS Destruction with DoD-Funded Project

ARMS Cyber Inc.

Arms Cyber Launches New Preemptive Anti-Ransomware Capabilities

Arovia

Arovia Named Top 5 Startup at eMerge Americas for Disruptive Portable Display Innovation

Arovia Returns to Kickstarter with the Splay Max—The Ultimate Portable 2-in-1 Display and Projector

Asynchealth

AsyncHealth launches Crowdfunding Campaign on StartEngine using Artificial Intelligence to Revolutionize Mental Health Care

Auxilium Health, Inc.

Auxilium Health Closes $1.5M in Funding; Secures Additional $275K Grant from the National Science Foundation

CellFE

CellFE and Made Scientific Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance Non-viral Gene Editing for T Cell Therapies

DNA Nano Therapeutics

Eascra Biotech Expands Operations with a New Worcester Lab

Eascra Biotech Receives U.S. National Science Foundation Grant

Eascra Biotech Preparing for a Fifth Flight to the International Space Station

Fourier

Winners Announced at RESOLVE ’25 MassChallenge Showcase and Awards

Huxley Medical, Inc.

Huxley Medical Shares New Data at SLEEP Demonstrating Breadth of Clinical Insights Enabled by SANSA Diagnostic Platform

Intact Therapeutics

Processa Pharmaceuticals Signs Binding Term Sheet Granting Intact Therapeutics Exclusive Option to License Phase 2 Gastroparesis Drug Candidate

Kytopen

Kytopen Elects Industry Veterans to Board, Further Demonstrating its Commitment to Enabling Advanced Engineered Cell Therapy Workflows

LayerPure Technologies

2025 New Venture Competition Winners

Na All-Solid-State Battery

Blue Whale Energy partners UNIGRID to deploy urban C&I Battery storage across Southeast Asia

UNIGRID Battery Awarded California Energy Commission RAMP Grant to Launch Advanced Sodium-Ion Battery Production in the U.S.

Indexel Engineering partners with UNIGRID to bring 50 MWh of U.S. developed advanced sodium-ion batteries to India

NeuroWave

Empowering the Future of Neural Interfaces: Dr. Ifana Mahbub’s Team Completes NSF National I-Corps with Wireless Neuromodulation Innovation

NSF I-Corps IN-NE Team 3924

Soft Exosuit Technology Advances to NSF National I-Corps Program

PhotoniCare

PhotoniCare’s OtoSight Demonstrates More Accurate Diagnosis and a 50 Percent Reduction in Antibiotic Usage for Pediatric Ear Infections in Large Randomized Controlled Trial

PredictionHealth

Prompt Health Acquires PredictionHealth to Amplify AI-Driven Rehab Therapy Innovation

Qunnect

Qunnect gets $10M to help build the quantum internet

Deutsche Telekom and Qunnect one step closer to quantum Internet

Refiberd

eBay invests $300k in Refiberd to drive circular fashion solutions

Sigma Ratings

Sigma360 Enhances Industry-Leading Adverse Media Solution with Launch of News Event Resolution, Delivering Up to 2x Efficiency

SNA International

Erin Forry Joins SNA International to Lead Strategic Expansion of DNAConnect

TradeX

Inveniam Acquires Tractiv to Enhance Enterprise-Grade AI Technology for Private Markets

Two-Bead Method for Enhanced Cell Isolation from Complex Samples

Akadeum Life Sciences Announces Instrument-Free, Large-Scale Microbubble Workflow for Cell Therapy Manufacturing

Akadeum Life Sciences Lands Major Investment to Fuel Growth in Cell and Gene Therapy

Ultra-low power Chemical Vapor Nanosensor

Anova Launches Fastest CME to London Service for Financial Markets

Vaxess Technologies, Inc.

Vaxess Raises $9M in Funding

Volumetric

3D Systems Reports First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

This information is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Numbers 2320948, 1743651, 1724482, 1305035, 1261815, 1239638, 1220692.