Researchers can learn to explore the commercial potential of their ideas, translate their technologies, and build entrepreneurial skills through NSF I-Corps programs. These are your UF contacts for NSF I-Corps.
Dr. Aaron Costin began his entrepreneurship journey in 2014 as a graduate student at Georgia Tech, where he explored the intersection of research and commercialization through programs such as NSF I-Corps. He has since founded multiple ventures, including S3 BIM Tech and his current startup, Kyaron Technologies, which develops AI- and IoT-enabled solutions for the construction industry. As a faculty member in the College of Design, Construction and Planning, he advises multiple student groups, is affiliated with various entrepreneurship initiatives, and mentors emerging innovators in transforming bold ideas into real-world impact.
Amanda joined UF Innovate | Pathways in March of 2025 as a Program Manager. She currently manages the NSF I-Corps at UF training program, which engages innovators and entrepreneurs within the UF and surrounding community through experiential learning to assess their inventions’ market potential using the customer discovery process.
Before joining UF Innovate | Pathways, Amanda spent nearly a decade in higher education administration, focusing on program development and evaluation, curriculum design, and academic advising at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Most recently, she managed the Clinical Psychology Doctoral and Internship programs at UF, overseeing the process from recruitment through graduation.
Originally from New York, Amanda now resides in Gainesville, Florida. She holds an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from Stony Brook University and earned an Educational Technology Certificate in Instructional Design from UF’s College of Education in 2023, officially becoming a Gator.
Dr. Matias Kirst is a professor of Quantitative Genetics and Genomics at the University of Florida and an I-Corps instructor for the NSF Southeast Regional Hub. He has extensive experience in research and commercialization, having founded two biotech companies, including Rapid Genomics (now part of LGC Group), and co-founded SolusCell, which provides single-cell analysis services. As Entrepreneur-in-Residence at UF/IFAS, he helps identify and advance research with commercial potential, and as co-director of the Cooperative Forest Genetics Research Program—one of the largest tree breeding programs in the U.S.—he maintains strong connections with forestry stakeholders and infrastructure.
Dr. Benjamin Lok is the faculty advocate for the NSF I-Corps program at UF. He is also a professor and the Graduate Program Director for the Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering Department at the University of Florida (UF) and the CTO of Rovex, Inc., previously co-founded Shadow Health (now a part of Elsevier), and is on the advisory board of numerous academic-technology startups.
Anita Rao is the Program Director of UF Innovate I Pathways and the NSF I-Corps program at UF. Anita launched UF Innovate I Pathways in 2021 to provide more training and support resources to innovators to advance ideas from lab to market. She has been instrumental in UF’s engagement in NSF I-Corps and has led the establishment of NSF I-Corps infrastructure at UF and the implementation of NSF I-Corps training inside and outside the classroom. Anita joined UF Innovate in 2005 as a licensing officer commercializing biomedical inventions and facilitating the formation of startups. She mentors innovators and has co-developed and taught intellectual property and commercialization-oriented training courses. In addition, Anita manages UF Innovate’s Innovation Fund program to advance technology translation, and she collaborates with internal and external stakeholders on programs to support innovation, commercialization, and economic development.
Learn about the I-Corps program and how it can advance your technology and career. Click here to learn more. For
The spring cohort of the NSF I-Corps at UF Regional Course meets six Wednesdays from 1-4 p.m. starting May 20.
Learn about the I-Corps program and how it can advance your technology and career. Click here to learn more. For
Learn about the I-Corps program and how it can advance your technology and career. Click here to learn more. For
