INTERN DCL – Enhancing Social Capital in Innovation and STEM Entrepreneurship

In a 2016 study entitled 'The Demographics of Innovation in the United States', the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) found that only 12% of U.S. innovators are women, and only 8% are members of U.S. minority groups (including Asians, African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and other ethnicities). As demographic characteristics of the U.S. population change, a key question is, 'How can the U.S. remain competitive without engaging the talents and abilities of all of its citizens?' To address this question, this EAGER proposal will conduct exploratory research focusing on integrating research-based strategies and best practices to achieve diversity and inclusion in the NSF I-Corps program, which prepares scientists and engineers to transition their research out of universities with the goal of commercialization. By funding the exploratory research and pilot initiative outlined in this EAGER proposal, the project will support efforts to identify and integrate effective strategies for diversity and inclusion into the national I-Corps innovation network.

This proposed work will support graduate research and is based on the following. In year one, the team will collect qualitative data from various stakeholders to understand the current practices of the NSF I-Corps program and compare these practices to the most current academic research and reports on inclusive innovation. As a result, a research paper will be written to describe best practices for Inclusive Innovation in technology entrepreneurship. During the 2nd quarter of 2020, this research will be presented at a stakeholders meeting such that working groups can leverage the information to develop new strategies for increasing the participation of underrepresented minorities in the NSF I-Corps program. At this stakeholders meeting, several new partnerships will be facilitated between the entrepreneurship organization and advocacy groups that promote diversity in tech entrepreneurship and the I-Corps Site and Nodes. In year 2, the research team will work with two I-Corps Sites to test a preliminary model for inclusive innovation developed by the stakeholder organizations. This pilot initiative will demonstrate and evaluate new approaches to achieving diversity goals in technology entrepreneurship/commercialization. The findings from this research have the potential to enhance and transform the participation in the I-Corps program at all levels, and complement NSF efforts to broaden participation of women and underrepresented minorities in science/technology entrepreneurship towards the overall effort to enhance and maintain the global competitiveness of America's innovation economy.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.