The University of Arkansas is expanding its role in the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps program through its active membership in the Vanderbilt University-led Mid-South Hub.
For starters, UA’s New Venture Development course is now a registered Regional I-Corps program. Students who complete the NVD course, offered in both fall and spring, will earn official NSF regional I-Corps credentials.
Anyone with graduate student standing can take the course, including full-time Master of Business Administration students, executive MBA students, STEM master’s and Ph.D. students, and master’s-level students in finance, accounting, and fine arts, as well as non-degree seeking students, according to David Hinton, associate vice chancellor for Research and Innovation and executive director for Technology Ventures.
The program is co-taught by Hinton and Phil Shellhammer, executive director of the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
The university plans to launch its own regional cohorts, separate from the for-credit NVD course, as early as 2026. This rollout will follow the hiring of a Venture Development Program Manager, who will run the day-to-day I-Corps operations.
While UA develops its own stand-alone cohorts, Arkansas-based teams can join any regional cohort offered by Mid-South Hub partners, including Vanderbilt, Jackson State University, and the University of Tennessee.
Hinton said he is available to help route Arkansas teams to cohorts that fit their schedules. Vanderbilt’s applications for the Spring 2026 Cohort are open, with a deadline of Dec. 18, 2025.
The program is composed of five virtual, interactive sessions. Participants learn how to define their value proposition, validate real customer needs, and conduct evidence-based exploration.
Other Arkansas institutions can also register their own courses as Regional I-Corps programs. A course must meet NSF curriculum standards and be led by a nationally trained I-Corps instructor. The Mid-South Hub offers “Train-the-Trainer” sessions to qualify new instructors.
A recent, critical rule change affects the pathway to the national program.
The National I-Corps program, which includes a $50,000 award for customer discovery, now only accepts teams based on university-owned intellectual property. Teams working on institutional IP that complete an approved regional program can be recommended by the hub for the national program.
Participation in I-Corps is an important first step if you are thinking about applying for an SBIR or STTR grant, as reviewers look to I-Corps participation as an important factor when evaluating proposals.
For more information about I-Corps in Arkansas, please reach out to Hinton at djhinton@uark.edu.