This course is for faculty, researchers, and students with STEM-based ideas or Intellectual Property and a strong interest in commercializing their technology.

DEADLINE TO APPLY: Sept 17, 2021

This online workshop will help you explore the commercial viability of your STEM-based innovation idea. The Lean LaunchPad approach (also called Lean Startup) is a process to help you systematically test key assumptions about your technology and the customer problems it might be able to solve better than current alternatives. This assessment of “technology-problem fit” is the critical first step toward commercial success for any technology venture. The learning objectives are:

• Develop familiarity with Lean LaunchPad concepts and tools such as customer discovery, value proposition design, and business model canvas
• Understand customers’ problems (“pain points”) from THEIR perspective
• Map your customer ecosystem to understand customer roles, requirement,s and decision processes
• Identify modifications to your technology assumptions required to achieve product-market fit
• Build connections to the commercial ecosystem (i.e. customers, suppliers, funders) for your innovation
• Explore the size of your potential market, assess the competition, and identify a first target market
• Develop a commercialization roadmap identifying key milestones and required resources to move your idea forward

In between the webinars, you will conduct customer discovery interviews, complete online learning assignments, apply the tools to your own tech, and receive feedback and coaching from a team of experienced instructors/mentors.

Warning:
This hands-on program takes work – 8-10 hours/week throughout the course. In addition to the course deliverables, you are expected to “get out of the building” (virtually or physically, if safe) to interview and observe 30 customers and stakeholders. Direct market interaction is vital to fine-tuning your value proposition, commercialization pathway, and business model design assumptions.