Innovation to Market

Innovation to Market is an eight-week program for UW–Madison early-stage innovators to explore the market viability of a technology, device, software application, consumer product or social impact solution.

In Innovation to Market, you’ll use the Lean Launchpad approach to assess “problem-solution fit,” the foundation of any successful startup, technology commercialization or social impact enterprise. The key question is not whether you have a solution to a problem. It’s whether customers, users and partners will adopt your solution. Innovation to Market introduces the Business Model Canvas and focuses on customer and stakeholder discovery and product-market fit, so you can understand your customer segments, hone value propositions, and chart a pathway to impact for your innovation.

Innovation to Market is for you if you:

• Are or have a principal team member who is a UW–Madison faculty, student, staff (including UW affiliates);
• Have an idea for a technology, device, app, consumer product or social impact solution;
• Are at any early stage, from idea to product or service development;
• Want to assess or improve your problem-solution fit, the basis of success for any product, service or startup;
• Can commit time outside of class to do discovery interviews plus independent work.

Innovation to Market is led by D2P’s expert mentors – veteran business developers, product managers and entrepreneurs, all certified as NSF I-Corps Instructors, with industry expertise in life sciences, healthcare, IT, engineering, cleantech, energy, agriculture, food, consumer products and more. D2P’s mentors understand the UW and community ecosystem, and how to move innovations forward at UW. You’ll receive focused, individualized coaching, tailored to your idea and stage of development and will be connected to other resources and programs that are right for you.

After Innovation to Market, you will have a solid understanding of your customer segment and value proposition and can confidently pitch your idea backed by customer and stakeholder insights. You will be ready for next steps such as D2P’s Igniter program, Regional I-Corps, pitch competitions, or application for D2P’s PRIME or Draper TIF grants or SBIR/STTR grants. Post-program, there will be access to ongoing support from D2P in each stage of your entrepreneurial journey.

Read about some of the startups and innovators who have participated in D2P programs.

All D2P programs are free and open to UW–Madison faculty, staff, and students, and employees of UW–Madison affiliate organizations.

Find out if Innovation to Market is right for you! Sign up for a Mentor Chat!

Prerequisites and Requirements

• Have an idea for an innovative product, technology, or service.
• Can state what problem your innovation solves or addresses.
• Conducted some preliminary research into your innovation, potentially covering customers, market size, and alternative solutions to the problem it addresses.
• You commit to:
  • Attending the five class sessions
  • Conducting at least 20 discovery interviews within the course of five weeks. (Don’t worry; we’ll teach you how.)
  • Completing assigned work and meeting with mentors outside of class (on average, 2 hours per week).

NOTE: While a full team is not required (individuals can apply to Innovation to Market), it could be helpful to your application to have a business lead team member in addition to a technical innovator.

Innovation to Market Learning Objectives

• • Learn about business and social impact models that have scaled and sustained.
  • Use the Business Model Canvas to move your innovation forward.
  • Take a deep dive into the concepts of customer segments, value propositions, and problem-solution fit.
  • Build discovery interview skills.
  • Develop and refine the value proposition for your innovation.
  • Formulate and test hypotheses on product/offering and value proposition through in-depth stakeholder interviews.
  • Learn in an experiential setting with other campus innovators.

Expected Outcomes

• Conducted at least 20 in-depth discovery interviews.
• Developed an entrepreneurial mindset and toolset.
• Gained solid understanding of the customer segment and problem-solution fit (i.e., value proposition) for your innovation, plus increased skills and confidence in communicating your idea based on real customer and stakeholder insights.
• Built connections with potential customers, stakeholders and cohort participants.
• Ready for the next steps in your research, product or business development, with a customized roadmap and ongoing support from D2P in each stage of your entrepreneurial journey.