The NSF I-Corps Hub: Great Lakes Region has released its 2025 Impact Report, highlighting more than a decade of outcomes from research-driven entrepreneurship across the Midwest and beyond.
Since 2012, I-Corps–trained teams affiliated with Great Lakes region universities have generated $1.42 billion in total economic impact, launched 437 companies, supported 1,430 jobs, and evaluated more than 2,400 breakthrough technologies. These efforts span critical sectors, including healthcare, energy, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, agriculture, and semiconductors.
The report also features team highlights from each state in the region, showcasing how academic innovations are translated into real-world solutions through customer discovery, commercialization support, and strong connections to the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
This impact reflects the strength of collaboration among universities, researchers, startups, funders, and industry partners committed to transforming research into societal and economic value.
Download the full Impact Report to explore the data, regional insights, and startup stories shaping innovation in the Great Lakes region.