NIH Entrepreneurship Bootcamp
The NIH Entrepreneurship Bootcamp is designed to equip life science investigators and nascent companies with specialized innovation and entrepreneurship training. The course requires no prior experience. It uses a life science-focused customer discovery process to assess customer and stakeholder needs, and teaches participants to develop stronger business models, market strategies, and commercialization plans in advance of their initial SBIR/STTR application.
The Bootcamp places teams on a path to take advantage of other NIH innovation programs, particularly the I-Corps and SBIR programs. Critically, this course will improve the commercialization potential of a project no matter what direction teams ultimately pursue. The program is differentiated from I-Corps@NIH as it targets teams who have not yet been awarded an SBIR or STTR for their technical innovation and who may not yet have formed a company. More information is available through NOT-OD-25-004.
Registration closes on December 20, 2024.
Eligibility
Innovators who have an SBIR/STTR award that will be active (including no-cost extensions) during the course duration are not eligible for this program.
Participants who enroll in the NIH Entrepreneurship Boot Camp must register as a team, including a technical lead with expertise in the proposed project and an individual who will act as the business lead and who is interested in learning how to assess whether the innovation presents a compelling commercialization opportunity.
The program is structured so that full participation is required across the sessions, which build upon each other. Thus, only teams that can commit the time and effort to actively and consistently participate in the coursework, webinars, and one-on-one coaching sessions should apply
Interested? View a sample request form or submit a request.
Course Structure and Schedule
Company teams will be organized into pods (small groups of approximately 6-8 company teams with a dedicated instructor). The eight-week program will consist of:
- a virtual 2-hour introductory lecture-style meeting
- three seminar-style sessions (alternating weeks) with the pod
- three office hour sessions one-on-one with their pod instructor (held during weeks when the seminar does not take place),
- an all-day virtual event where each company gives a presentation, and instructors provide final comments to each team. Select NIH program directors from Institutes with scientific interests in the project proposals will be invited to attend this event.
Cycle 1 - Event(s) | Cycle 1 - Date(s) |
---|---|
Submission period open | Monday, November 25, 2024 |
Submission deadline | Friday, December 20, 2024 |
Acceptance notifications | Monday, January 13, 2025 |
Team registration | Friday-Friday, January 17-24, 2025 |
Pre-course webinar | Thursday, January 30, 2025 |
Kickoff | Thursday, February 6, 2025 |
Pod #1 | Monday-Tuesday, February 10-11, 2025 |
Office hours | Monday-Wednesday, February 17-19, 2025 |
Pod #2 | Monday-Tuesday, February 24-25, 2025 |
Office hours | Monday-Wednesday, March 3-5, 2025 |
Midpoint meeting | TBD/March 3-5, 2025 |
Pod #3 | Monday-Tuesday, March 10-11, 2025 |
Office hours | Monday-Wednesday, March 17-19, 2025 |
Presentation day | Tuesday, March 25, 2025 |
Cycle 2 - Event(s) | Cycle 2 - Date(s) |
---|---|
Submission period open | Monday, February 10, 2025 |
Submission deadline | Friday, March 7, 2025 |
Acceptance notifications | Monday, March 24, 2025 |
Team registration | Monday-Friday, March 31-April 4, 2025 |
Pre-course webinar | Thursday, April 10, 2025 |
Kickoff | Thursday, April 17, 2025 |
Pod #1 | Monday-Tuesday, April 21-22, 2025 |
Office hours | Monday-Thursday, April 28-May 1, 2025 |
Pod #2 | Monday-Tuesday, May 5-6, 2025 |
Office hours | Monday-Thursday, May 12-15, 2025 |
Midpoint meeting | TBD/May 12-15, 2025 |
Pod #3 | Monday-Tuesday, May 19-20, 2025 |
Office hours | Monday-Friday, May 26-30, 2025 |
Presentation day | Thursday, June 5, 2025 |