Event Type : Community

The spring cohort of the NSF I-Corps at UF Regional Course meets six Wednesdays from 1-4 p.m. starting May 20.  In this program, researchers, entrepreneurs, industry professionals, and companies learn to transform innovations into market-ready solutions through the proven I-Corps customer discovery process. Participants will benefit from tailored mentorship by experienced industry experts, gaining critical insights into market demands and customer needs to refine their technologies for real-world applications.

The virtual six-week regional course will be held on Wednesdays this Spring from 1-4 p.m. on the following days:

May 20, 27
June 3, 10, 17, and 24

To participate, apply by Wednesday, April 15. If you missed the April 15 application deadline, get the details on the next regional course here. Those who have been accepted into the spring cohort will have received instructions on how to access the course. Email NSF I-Corps at UF with any questions.

Seminar at UF Innovate | The Hub

Join us for an engaging seminar at UF Innovate | The Hub! In this session, learn from communications expert Caitlin Gardner to unlock better AI results through strategic prompting for business, content, and ideas.

Please register by noon on June 17th. 

AI is only as powerful as the prompts behind it. In this fast-paced, communications-focused workshop, communications expert, founder and University of Florida professor Caitlin Gardner will teach the UF Innovate | Accelerate community how to use strategic prompting to get better, faster and more authentic results from AI tools.

Rather than focusing on the technical side of AI, this session is centered on the power of clear communication, storytelling, branding and strategic thinking — helping attendees learn how to prompt AI to work for their business, content and ideas.

Attendees will leave ready to:

• Overcome FOBO (Fear of Becoming Obsolete) by learning how communicators, founders and entrepreneurs can use AI as a strategic advantage — not a replacement.
• Stop wasting time with vague prompts and learn a clear communications-based framework for getting stronger, faster and more useful AI outputs.
• Turn AI into a practical business tool for branding, content creation, brainstorming and strategic communication. All while keeping your authentic voice and human creativity at the center.

About our speaker:

Caitlin Gardner

Caitlin Gardner is the founder of Blooming Communications and an adjunct professor at the University of Florida. With more than 20 years of experience leading communications, branding and marketing strategies for major national brands, she now helps entrepreneurs, executives and organizations leverage AI through strategic communication, creativity and human connection.

About our sponsor:

Blooming Communications

“Blooming Communications was founded to support brands and executives on their growth journey using integrated public relations. We work with you to create a customized PR campaign designed to maximize the right combination of external and internal communications to reach your goals.”

The spring cohort of the NSF I-Corps at UF Regional Course meets six Wednesdays from 1-4 p.m. starting May 20.  In this program, researchers, entrepreneurs, industry professionals, and companies learn to transform innovations into market-ready solutions through the proven I-Corps customer discovery process. Participants will benefit from tailored mentorship by experienced industry experts, gaining critical insights into market demands and customer needs to refine their technologies for real-world applications.

The virtual six-week regional course will be held on Wednesdays this Spring from 1-4 p.m. on the following days:

May 20, 27
June 3, 10, 17, and 24

To participate, apply by Wednesday, April 15. If you missed the April 15 application deadline, get the details on the next regional course here. Those who have been accepted into the spring cohort will have received instructions on how to access the course. Email NSF I-Corps at UF with any questions.

Lunch & Learn at UF Innovate | Sid Martin Biotech

Join us for an engaging and insightful Lunch & Learn at UF Innovate | Sid Martin Biotech! David Wisener will provide an overview of the City of Alachua’s Business Incentive Program and startup resources available in Alachua.

This event is open to the public. Please register by noon on June 29th. 

oin David Wisener, Economic Development Manager for the City of Alachua, for this exciting Lunch & Learn!

David will provide an overview of the business incentives offered by the City and discuss some of the competitive advantages and soft incentives for doing business in Alachua, particularly for startup companies.

Sid Martin startups– you aren’t going to want to miss this information!

Meet the speaker:

David Wisener

David Wisener is Economic Development Manager for the City of Alachua. He is responsible for the City’s business attraction, retention, and expansion efforts in order to promote job opportunities and overall quality of life for the community. His work experience includes several years in project management-related roles within the biopharmaceutical and national defense industries, and he is an experienced leader who values empathy, humility, and service. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Florida.