University of Central Florida
(a former 2011 i6 Green grantee and also a 2014 RIS Seed Capital Funds grantee)

The i6 Challenge funds will be used to extend the UCF I-Corps pilot program across the five economically challenged Central Florida counties (Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard and Volusia), and to help transition Central Florida’s engineering workforce into high growth technology companies that design, manufacture, and export innovative products through the Maker Spaces Proof Of Concept Center (POCC).

This Center will also leverage both the statewide Florida Cleantech Accelerator Network (FL-CAN, which was created through a former i6 grant) and the Osceola County Advanced Materials Research Center once it is opened.

EDA i6 Challenge funds for the Maker Spaces POCC will provide resources such as a region-wide mentor network, assistance with developing SBIR/STTR proposals, educational programs, and preferred access to early stage seed funding opportunities to teams of students, researchers, regional “traditional” engineers, and entrepreneurs.