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Florida State University is converting scholarly research into commercial solutions while simultaneously fostering student achievement through a National Science Foundation initiative.
Nethraja Kandula, a PhD candidate in the Department of Health, Nutrition, and Food Sciences, was part of a recent group of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) I-Corps initiative, an immersive training program focused on entrepreneurship that aids in transforming inventions into impactful outcomes for scientific researchers. I-Corps teams consist of a graduate student serving as the entrepreneurial lead, a technical lead with extensive knowledge in the technological domain, and an industry mentor who offers business acumen and operates independently from the technical progress of the technology.
Kandula spearheaded an I-Corps team concentrating on swift foodborne pathogen detection techniques in the lab of Prashant Singh, an associate professor at FSU who acted as the technology lead for the team.
Singh’s innovation addresses a critical safety issue in the food processing sector. Quick testing methodologies are essential for the food industry since experts and processors demand prompt and dependable assays. The pace of animal processing within the food sector is swift; hence, similarly rapid testing techniques are vital for ensuring safety. Kandula is part of Singh’s lab and contributed to developing the testing method for pathogens commonly linked to poultry, like salmonella.
After successfully creating the assay, the team reached out to FSU Commercialization for advice on the next steps to market their rapid detection method and were encouraged to engage in the NSF I-Corps initiative. Kandula and the team participated in a six-week regional I-Corps training program, which is segmented into three parts: four weeks of hands-on experience in customer discovery, one week focused on preparing pitches, and one week allocated for delivering a product pitch.
Kandula acquired invaluable knowledge while working directly with business instruments and concepts: business model canvases, customer segmentation, hypothesis testing, revenue channels, and customer relationships and avenues.
“I’m genuinely pleased that I learned more about customer discovery and how to ask the right questions to obtain the best insights,” Kandula stated. “As a scientist, this was completely uncharted territory for me. I-Corps taught us how to comprehend our customers and equipped us with the tools necessary to translate our research ideas.”
I-Corps training mitigates the risks linked with moving technologies from the lab to the marketplace by utilizing experiential education for researchers. At the program’s outset, the team primarily aimed at targeting substantial poultry processors like Tyson or Cargill but discovered that large industries possess their own testing laboratories. They identified a new target audience by realizing that smaller processors lack their own testing facilities and outsource their samples to third parties.
“That was a business ‘eureka’ moment for me — understanding where our technology could have the most influence,” Kandula remarked. “I-Corps connects the worlds of academia and business. It provides the tools necessary to grasp the complete potential of an idea.”
A key component of I-Corps training is validating your concept, she mentioned. Participants gain insights into potential success and quickly discern why an idea may not succeed. The program delivers fast, constructive feedback and valuable insights.
Having successfully completed the regional team initiative, Kandula and her team are applying for further I-Corps training through the initiative’s seven-week national program. This opportunity provides up to $50,000 in federal funding and a deeper immersion into the ecosystem for evaluating their technology’s commercial prospects.
“If you’re a student contemplating I-Corps — go for it!” Kandula encouraged. “Don’t overanalyze. If you believe you have a reasonable idea — even if it’s not great, just a decent one — pursue it.”
Curious about I-Corps? For further details about I-Corps at FSU, reach out to FSU Commercialization.
The article Research to Impact: Highlighting the journey of one FSU graduate student through the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps program first appeared on Florida State University News.
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