i2E Immersion
i2E is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit venture development organization founded in 1998 that provides free advisory services, bootcamps, and competitions to Oklahoma-based early-stage startups. It connects founders to capital via its spin-off Plains Ventures and the statewide OCN network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersTulsa, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What i2E Immersion does
i2E (Innovation to Enterprise) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit venture development organization founded in 1998 and headquartered in Oklahoma City with a second office in Tulsa. Originally established as the Oklahoma Technology Commercialization Center to diversify Oklahoma's economy beyond oil and gas, the organization was renamed i2E in 2004 and now serves as the onramp for early-stage Oklahoma entrepreneurs, providing structure, guidance, and investor connections at the concept-to-investment stage. The organization runs a portfolio of programs including the E3 free four-week startup bootcamp focused on product/market fit, Advanced Services offering one-on-one venture advising, the Oklahoma Commercialization Network (OCN) statewide partnership hub powered by OCAST, the collegiate Entrepreneur's Cup competition, and the MidAmerica Cup high school competition launched in 2023. i2E prepares companies for investment rather than deploying capital directly; investment activities were spun off in 2019 into Plains Ventures, an independent venture capital firm that has surpassed $100M in total investments.
i2E does not develop or sell technology products; its core deliverable is human advisory services delivered by a team of roughly 10-12 staff including senior venture advisors with operational startup experience. The revenue model relies on state appropriations through OCAST, corporate sponsorships (with Love's Travel Stops serving as title sponsor for Entrepreneur's Cup), and ecosystem partnership funding, with all entrepreneur-facing programs offered free of charge. Since 2015, more than 200 companies have passed through the E3 program across 50+ cohorts, and i2E's broader 25-year track record includes $1.27B in private capital raised by supported companies, 4,000+ Oklahoma jobs created, and $2.12B in cumulative revenue generated by portfolio companies. Notable alumni include Alkami Technology (which achieved unicorn status and Nasdaq IPO), MaxQ (largest U.S. blood packaging solutions provider serving 1,200+ hospitals), and CerTracker (healthcare credentialing platform).
The go-to-market motion is direct and sales-led, centered on in-person and virtual advisory engagement from offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, supported by a digital presence across LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, an innovation blog, and an email newsletter. Services are restricted to Oklahoma-based entrepreneurs, students at Oklahoma colleges and universities, and partner organizations, giving i2E a clear geographic mandate within the state's innovation policy framework rather than competing in the broader national accelerator market.
i2E Immersion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- i2E Immersion
- Legal name
- i2E, Inc.
- Website
- https://i2e.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- i2E is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit venture development organization founded in 1998 that provides free advisory services, bootcamps, and competitions to Oklahoma-based early-stage startups. It connects founders to capital via its spin-off Plains Ventures and the statewide OCN network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
i2E Immersion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Advisory and Entrepreneur Support Services
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Entrepreneurship, Business & Innovation Camps (EDAMALAL), Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM)
Keywords
Where i2E Immersion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tulsa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
i2E Immersion business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Nonprofit Funding & State Support: i2E is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that receives state support from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) and is an integral part of Oklahoma's Innovation Model. The organization does not charge for its core programs like E3 bootcamp. Investment activities are handled by Plains Ventures, their separate investment arm.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One time/ perpetual license | E3 Bootcamp - Free |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
i2E Immersion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
i2E delivers free venture advisory services and structured entrepreneur support programs to Oklahoma-based founders. Its offerings include the E3 four-week customer discovery bootcamp, Advanced Services one-on-one venture advising, the statewide Oklahoma Commercialization Network (OCN) partnership hub, and student business plan competitions (Entrepreneur's Cup and MidAmerica Cup). The organization prepares startups for investment and connects them to capital through its affiliated firm Plains Ventures.
Product overview
i2E is a nonprofit organization that provides startup support programs and services rather than a traditional software product. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including the E3 startup bootcamp (a four-week customer discovery program), Advanced Services (personalized venture advising), the Oklahoma Commercialization Network (OCN - a statewide partnership hub), the Entrepreneur's Cup (collegiate business plan competition), and the MidAmerica Cup (high school competition). These programs collectively provide founders with structure, guidance, mentorship, and connections to capital throughout Oklahoma's entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- E3 Program
- Advanced Services
- Oklahoma Commercialization Network (OCN)
- Entrepreneur's Cup
- MidAmerica Cup
Quantifiable outcome
- $1.27B in private capital raised by supported companies
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use i2E Immersion
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
i2E Immersion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
i2E Immersion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GradientcorePartner in the Oklahoma Commercialization Network (OCN), providing resources and support for tech-driven startups in Oklahoma.
- The Verge OKCcorePartner in the Oklahoma Commercialization Network (OCN), providing workshops and events like Pitches, Pizzas, Pints for entrepreneurs.
- REI OklahomacorePartner in OCN providing BusinessResource Center with expert guidance, tailored support, and over 125 annual training events, plus flexible financing solutions through REI Business Lending.
- Love's Travel StopscoreTitle sponsor of the Entrepreneur's Cup competition. Family-owned and operated business headquartered in Oklahoma City with nearly 40,000 team members. Committed to fostering innovation in Oklahoma.
- MidAmerica Industrial ParkcorePartnership to run the MidAmerica Cup high school business competition, launched in 2023. Supports STEM education and workforce development in northeast Oklahoma.
- Chickasaw NationminorResource partner in the OCN network providing services to Oklahoma entrepreneurs.
- Choctaw Small Business DevelopmentminorResource partner in the OCN network supporting Oklahoma entrepreneurs.
- Oklahoma Small Business Development Center (SBDC)minorResource partner in the OCN network providing small business development support.
- TechStarsminorAccelerator partner listed in OCN resource network for Oklahoma startups.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
i2E Immersion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 1871: Chicago tech hub and incubator providing workspace, programming, and mentorship to early-stage startups. Similar role to i2E as a center-of-gravity for a regional tech ecosystem.
- Rev1 Ventures: Columbus, Ohio-based startup accelerator and investor combining non-dilutive programming with venture capital. A direct functional analog to i2E's nonprofit advisement plus Plains Ventures capital model.
- TechStars: Global accelerator running cohort-based programs for early-stage startups. Listed as a resource partner in i2E's OCN network and competes for the same founder demographic with structured programming and mentorship.
- MassChallenge: Global nonprofit accelerator offering equity-free programs to early-stage startups. Closely matches i2E's nonprofit, no-equity, structured-cohort model.
- Capital Factory: Texas-based accelerator and venture platform supporting early-stage founders with mentorship, programming, and investor connections. Mirrors i2E's role as a state-level hub for entrepreneurs and was an IEDC peer award recipient.
- Innovation Works: Pittsburgh-based early-stage investor and accelerator supporting tech startups through programs like AlphaLab. Comparable to i2E as a regional nonprofit engine for high-growth companies.
- gener8tor: National accelerator network running cohort-based programs for startups. Closely comparable to i2E's E3 bootcamp in structure, duration, and founder-development focus.
Regional players
- Innovate Arkansas: Arkansas-based startup support program offering advisory, resources, and connections to in-state entrepreneurs. Structurally analogous to i2E but serving a neighboring state.
- BioGenerator: St. Louis-based nonprofit accelerator that creates and funds early-stage life science companies. Comparable to i2E's life-science portfolio plays (e.g., MaxQ) although operating in a different state.
Others
- Plains Ventures: Former i2E investment arm spun off in 2019; now an independent venture capital firm investing in Oklahoma startups. Directly affiliated and capital-complimentary to i2E's advisory work.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
i2E Immersion social profiles
Digital presencei2E Immersion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
i2E Immersion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
i2E Immersion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
i2E Immersion M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments12 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about i2E Immersion
What does i2E Immersion do?
i2E delivers free venture advisory services and structured entrepreneur support programs to Oklahoma-based founders. Its offerings include the E3 four-week customer discovery bootcamp, Advanced Services one-on-one venture advising, the statewide Oklahoma Commercialization Network (OCN) partnership hub, and student business plan competitions (Entrepreneur's Cup and MidAmerica Cup). The organization prepares startups for investment and connects them to capital through its affiliated firm Plains Ventures.
Is i2E Immersion a public or private company?
i2E Immersion is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was i2E Immersion founded?
i2E Immersion was founded in 1998.
Where is i2E Immersion based?
i2E Immersion is headquartered in Tulsa, United States, in the North America region.
How does i2E Immersion make money?
One revenue line is on record: nonprofit Funding & State Support.
Who are i2E Immersion's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 1871, Rev1 Ventures, TechStars, MassChallenge, Capital Factory, Innovation Works and gener8tor. Regional players are Innovate Arkansas and BioGenerator. Plains Ventures is listed as an others.
Does i2E Immersion have an API?
No public API is recorded for i2E Immersion.
What industry is i2E Immersion in?
i2E Immersion's product category is Startup Advisory and Entrepreneur Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated), with a secondary code of EDAMAHAA, Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics. Its NAICS code is 611430 and its SIC code is 8742.