A new innovation hub dedicated to commercializing and deploying technologies in medical tech, energy, clean test, agricultural and food tech and maritime is coming to the University of Washington.
The UW joins seven other universities to form the Northwest Region Hub for the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps. The University of California, Berkeley, will serve as the lead hub. Other members include the University of Alaska, Fairbanks; Oregon State University; and the University of California campuses in Davis, San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Irvine. Over the next five years, up to $15 million will be shared to drive innovation.
CoMotion, the UW center supporting entrepreneurs and technology commercialization, will administer the funding to support I-Corps programming. Activities will include mentorship, instruction, customer discovery interviews and opportunities to practice investor pitches.
The new innovation hub is a game changer, according to the UW’s Vice Provost for Innovation, François Baneyx. “We are excited about building synergies between institutions with complementary strengths and transmuting our diversity of thought into companies that improve people’s lives and drive prosperity.”
The NSF also announced the addition of two other new hubs in the Southeast and New England. Combined, the network of 13 I-Corps Region Hubs covers 48 states.