Innovation Corps (I-Corps) at NIH Program for NIH and CDC Translational Research (Admin Supp Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PA 19 029

FAQs: Innovation Corps (I-Corps) at NIH Program for NIH and CDC Translational Research (PA 19-029)

What is this funding opportunity?

The Innovation Corps (I-Corps) at NIH Program for NIH and CDC Translational Research (PA 19-029) is a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity focused on strengthening biomedical translation and commercialization. It is designed to help biomedical discoveries move from the lab into real-world use by educating and coaching teams on commercialization fundamentals.

What is the main purpose of the program?

The central purpose is training and mentoring around commercialization readiness, not funding new research experiments. The program emphasizes practical work such as understanding customer needs, mapping markets, testing assumptions, and defining a viable path for a technology, product, or service.

Is this program meant to pay for new research or experiments?

No. The opportunity is explicitly positioned as a translation and commercialization training-and-mentoring program. It is not intended to fund new research experiments; instead, it supports participation in the I-Corps curriculum and related customer discovery/commercialization development activities tied to an existing project.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is narrow. Applicants must be small businesses that already hold active SBIR or STTR Phase I awards from participating NIH and CDC Institutes and Centers (ICs). The supplement is tied to the parent Phase I award and requires alignment with a participating IC.

What type of application mechanism is used?

This opportunity is offered as an administrative supplement mechanism for eligible small businesses with active SBIR/STTR Phase I awards. It is not described as a standalone, open-to-anyone grant in the provided summary.

Do I need an existing SBIR or STTR award to apply?

Yes. The supplement is specifically for small businesses with an ongoing Phase I SBIR or STTR project from participating NIH/CDC components. Without an eligible active parent award, the opportunity described would not apply.

Does my existing Phase I award have to be connected to a participating NIH or CDC Institute/Center?

Yes. The summary notes that eligibility depends on having an active Phase I award from a participating NIH or CDC Institute/Center, and that alignment with that component is part of confirming fit for the supplement.

Are clinical trials allowed under this supplement?

No. The opportunity is labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed." Applicants should not propose clinical trials under this supplement; the focus remains on commercialization readiness and market validation for technologies already being developed under the parent Phase I award.

What activities does the supplement support?

It is meant to support participation in the I-Corps curriculum and associated customer discovery and commercialization development activities. The emphasis is on market learning and de-risking commercialization decisions rather than additional R&D.

What is the expected team structure for applicants?

Applicants are expected to form a three-member project team that can participate fully in instruction and mentoring. The intent is to include the core perspectives needed for commercialization learning: a technical/scientific perspective, an entrepreneurial/customer discovery driver, and a mentor-type contributor with commercialization experience and an external perspective.

Are specific role titles required for the three-person team?

The excerpt provided does not list formal role titles. It describes the intent of the three roles (technical lead, entrepreneurial lead, and mentor-type contributor) rather than specifying exact required titles.

What does the I-Corps training emphasize?

The program pushes teams to "get out of the building" to talk to stakeholders and gather evidence about customers and markets. It emphasizes understanding who the customers are, what problems are worth solving, and what adoption, reimbursement, regulatory, and competitive realities will shape the route to market.

What outcomes are expected by the end of participation?

Expected outcomes include sharper and more defensible commercialization plans and better strategic decision-making. Teams are expected to validate or correct key assumptions about market need and product-market fit and to make well-informed pivots when evidence supports changes to application, target user, channel, or business model.

How does this program help a Phase I project progress?

The program is designed to reduce early guesswork and accelerate translation, positioning Phase I projects to transition into stronger Phase II plans, follow-on investment discussions, partnerships, licensing strategies, or other commercialization pathways with clearer rationale and reduced risk.

How many awards were anticipated?

The listing anticipated about 24 awards.

When was this opportunity created and when did it originally close?

The opportunity was created on October 17, 2018, and the original closing date listed was January 28, 2019.

What federal agency is associated with this opportunity?

It is a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services opportunity administered through the National Institutes of Health, and it is described as applicable to NIH and CDC translational research through participating Institutes and Centers.

What types of activity areas does this opportunity fall under?

It is described as a discretionary grant opportunity categorized under education and health-related activity areas.

Why are multiple CFDA numbers mentioned?

Multiple CFDA numbers are listed because many NIH/CDC components can participate across diverse biomedical domains, so the opportunity spans more than one program area in federal assistance listings.

What does it mean that the listing shows an award ceiling of 0?

The summary notes that an award ceiling of 0 commonly appears in postings where the amount is not expressed as a single fixed cap in the summary table and instead depends on administrative supplement policies and Institute/Center participation.

Is pre-application contact encouraged?

Yes. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact NIH or CDC scientific/research staff before applying to confirm fit, clarify expectations for the supplement request, and understand how the I-Corps program will be implemented by the relevant Institute or Center.

Why is contacting NIH/CDC staff before applying considered important?

Because eligibility and award decisions depend on the existing parent SBIR/STTR Phase I grant, Institute/Center participation, and alignment with goals centered on commercialization learning rather than additional R&D. Pre-application communication helps confirm fit and expectations.