SBIR Topical Class: “Common Reasons for SBIR/STTR Failure”

Most concept-stage startups fail because they focus more on how to deliver a product than on the needs of people buying it. This course provides a concentrated overview of the Customer Development Process, Business Model Canvas and Minimal Viable Product. By understanding customers, startups reduce the risk of failure. This class is the first in the Customer Discovery Badge Program, and it should be followed with Customer Discovery Tools.

You are welcome to bring your own lunch.

REGISTRATION LINK

This course is a prerequisite for Customer Discovery Tools and Customer Discovery Lab. You are only required to take it once.

• Click here to register.

This four-part workshop teaches founders the essentials for a thorough understanding of their business models. We will discuss terminology that investors, banks, accountants expect you to know, understand and use, as well as the details and underlying assumptions of financial models. We will also dive into your individual business’ financial model for specific advice.

Part 1 – Finance 101

Part 2 – The Financial Model

Part 3 – Work Session w/ Mentors

Part 4 – Financial Model Review w/ Mentors

Registration Links

You MUST have attended Customer Discovery to participate in this workshop, and only those who have completed the Customer Discovery Badge and Buyer Journey will be eligible to continue to Parts III and IV.

Click here to register for Part 1: Finance 101. You must attend Part 1 to attend subsequent classes.

Most technology startups fail. Why? They start executing before they have a sound business model. What about you? Have you discovered a scalable and profitable business model yet?

Customer Discovery Lab is a Customer Discovery Bootcamp designed for entrepreneurs. Customer Discovery Lab uses a combination of teaching methodologies from Customer Discovery (get out of the building), Lean Startup (iterative loop of experimentation), Startup Engineering (disprove your assumptions) and the Business Model Canvas to uncover your compelling business model.

After this program, you will have identified the core of your business model - your customer segment and value proposition. Or you may discover there isn't one. And that's OK too. It's better to find out now than after spending years and a fortune only to find out you were wrong.

How does it work?

1. Multi-week intensive program. You should commit to attend every week.
2. Each week, make assumptions about what needs to be true about your business model to succeed.
3. Design tests to disprove each assumptions.
4. Collect data and interpret the results.
5. Update your business model canvas based on what you have learned.
6. Present your findings to the teaching team and get thoroughly thrashed.
7. Repeat.

You will be expected to talk to at least 10 potential customers each week.

REGISTRATION LINKS

Both Customer Discovery Theory and Customer Discovery Tools are prerequisites to Customer Discovery Lab. Please take Customer Discovery Theory first which is offered the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. Once you begin Customer Discovery Lab, you are then expected to attend every subsequent Thursday until you graduate.

• Click here to register.

This is a follow-on class from Customer Discovery Theory.  The purpose of this class is to work with the entrepreneurs to make sure they are ready to move forward with the discovery process - actually interviewing potential customers. We will review the entrepreneurs' business hypothesis, initial set of interview questions, and tools to help build a persona of potential customers.

REGISTRATION LINKS FOR UPCOMING CUSTOMER DISCOVERY CLASSES

Customer Discovery Theory is a prerequisite for this class.

This meeting will be online only. 

• Click here to preregister.

Most technology startups fail. Why? They start executing before they have a sound business model. What about you? Have you discovered a scalable and profitable business model yet?

Customer Discovery Lab is a Customer Discovery Bootcamp designed for entrepreneurs. Customer Discovery Lab uses a combination of teaching methodologies from Customer Discovery (get out of the building), Lean Startup (iterative loop of experimentation), Startup Engineering (disprove your assumptions) and the Business Model Canvas to uncover your compelling business model.

After this program, you will have identified the core of your business model - your customer segment and value proposition. Or you may discover there isn't one. And that's OK too. It's better to find out now than after spending years and a fortune only to find out you were wrong.

How does it work?

1. Multi-week intensive program. You should commit to attend every week.
2. Each week, make assumptions about what needs to be true about your business model to succeed.
3. Design tests to disprove each assumptions.
4. Collect data and interpret the results.
5. Update your business model canvas based on what you have learned.
6. Present your findings to the teaching team and get thoroughly thrashed.
7. Repeat.

You will be expected to talk to at least 10 potential customers each week.

REGISTRATION LINKS

Both Customer Discovery Theory and Customer Discovery Tools are prerequisites to Customer Discovery Lab. Please take Customer Discovery Theory first which is offered the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. Once you begin Customer Discovery Lab, you are then expected to attend every subsequent Thursday until you graduate.

• Click here to register.