IN-LA is a collaboration between USC, UCLA and Caltech, teaching entrepreneurial technologist scientists the environment and skills to bring proprietary technology to market and improving the startup odds by putting entrepreneurs in direct contact with potential customers. We provide tiered programs in the Lean Startup methodology as developed by the National Science Foundation I-Corps program, focusing on hypothesis-driven business models and broad customer discovery. Learning takes place both in and out of the classroom, requiring every participant to do extensive fieldwork. Each tier brings participants deeper into the entrepreneurial process and provides opportunities to meet local angel investors, venture capitalists, and strategic investors. Participants must begin with ZAP! and will have the opportunity to enter the next stage of programming upon completion of each tier.
Technology managers, university instructors, and I-Corps Site managers at universities in the Los Angeles region are eligible to host ZAP! in partnership with IN-LA, and to send teams to CaDRE events. IN-LA provides trained instructors, course materials, and additional support.
