Oakland University
Monday, January 12, 2015

Lawrence Tech University Michigan I-Corps@LTU 9-Week Program Starts February 14

Lawrence Tech University (LTU) will begin integrating Innovative Design Thinking into the Michigan I-Corps@LTU Program starting on February 14, 2015. Originating within the National Science Foundation, the Michigan I-Corps@LTU is a real-world, results oriented, customer-driven proven business mentoring program helping innovators, entrepreneurs, engineers, tinkerers, and companies advance new product ideas and establish new commercial opportunities.

Michigan I-Corps@LTU is a 9-week program based on the Business Model Canvas- now integrated with Innovative Design Thinking techniques. Design thinking is human-centered with a focus on people and consumer needs-not on a specific technology. It is an iterative learning process of defining, ideation, prototyping and testing your product-potentially several times until the product demand is at its highest.

The 9-week program starts with the formation of your Innovation Team (2 or 3 members) around your business idea with associates you know-or request assistance for building a Team and the LTU Collaboratory will assist you. After forming your team and applying for the program, those selected will be matched with an Industry Mentor. Each team will receive honest feedback, mentorship, discussions and information from the Teaching Team and their Mentor, including testing ideas and assumptions about your business model; questioning what you are learning from customer meetings; and how you are applying feedback and your innovation.

The Michigan I-Corps@LTU serves college students with new product ideas to validate with customers, innovators with new technologies to sell, entrepreneurs with fresh business ideas to start-up and grow, tinkerers with product ideas and prototypes to test with real customers, and established companies with new products to launch in new or existing markets.

Benefits from participation in the Michigan I-Corps@LTU program include receiving prototyping stipend, ability to qualify for additional Seed Funding, convenient Saturday morning program, Industry Mentor for individual assistance, a chance to qualify for a year of additional professional mentoring, being eligible to showcase your products in the Detroit area, and a $1,000 cash prize is awarded to the BEST TEAM.

Graduates of the Michigan I-Corps@LTU will have a solid understanding of their product/process/service and knowledge of the customers who want and need what they have to offer.

The Michigan I-Corps@LTU program is made possible through funding from the Coleman Foundation and the Kern Family Foundation, plus support provided by the LTU Collaboratory and the University of Michigan Center for Entrepreneurship.

For more information regarding the Michigan I-Corps@LTU program visit: https://www.ltu.edu/ltu/icorp.asp#tab1

Lawrence Tech University (LTU) will begin integrating Innovative Design Thinking into the Michigan I-Corps@LTU Program starting on February 14, 2015. Originating within the National Science Foundation, the Michigan I-Corps@LTU is a real-world, results oriented, customer-driven proven business mentoring program helping innovators, entrepreneurs, engineers, tinkerers, and companies advance new product ideas and establish new commercial opportunities.

Michigan I-Corps@LTU is a 9-week program based on the Business Model Canvas- now integrated with Innovative Design Thinking techniques. Design thinking is human-centered with a focus on people and consumer needs-not on a specific technology. It is an iterative learning process of defining, ideation, prototyping and testing your product-potentially several times until the product demand is at its highest.

The 9-week program starts with the formation of your Innovation Team (2 or 3 members) around your business idea with associates you know-or request assistance for building a Team and the LTU Collaboratory will assist you. After forming your team and applying for the program, those selected will be matched with an Industry Mentor. Each team will receive honest feedback, mentorship, discussions and information from the Teaching Team and their Mentor, including testing ideas and assumptions about your business model; questioning what you are learning from customer meetings; and how you are applying feedback and your innovation.

The Michigan I-Corps@LTU serves college students with new product ideas to validate with customers, innovators with new technologies to sell, entrepreneurs with fresh business ideas to start-up and grow, tinkerers with product ideas and prototypes to test with real customers, and established companies with new products to launch in new or existing markets.

Benefits from participation in the Michigan I-Corps@LTU program include receiving prototyping stipend, ability to qualify for additional Seed Funding, convenient Saturday morning program, Industry Mentor for individual assistance, a chance to qualify for a year of additional professional mentoring, being eligible to showcase your products in the Detroit area, and a $1,000 cash prize is awarded to the BEST TEAM.

Graduates of the Michigan I-Corps@LTU will have a solid understanding of their product/process/service and knowledge of the customers who want and need what they have to offer.

The Michigan I-Corps@LTU program is made possible through funding from the Coleman Foundation and the Kern Family Foundation, plus support provided by the LTU Collaboratory and the University of Michigan Center for Entrepreneurship.

For more information regarding the Michigan I-Corps@LTU program visit: https://www.ltu.edu/ltu/icorp.asp#tab1



Created by Joesph Ciaravino (jaciarav@oakland.edu) on Monday, January 12, 2015
Modified by Joesph Ciaravino (jaciarav@oakland.edu) on Monday, January 12, 2015
Article Start Date: Monday, January 12, 2015