Is there really a demand for your product or service? What problem are you solving and how are your target customers already solving this problem without you? Lean Startup helps new entrepreneurs answer these questions by encouraging them to get outside and talk to actual potential customers. Lots of them!
The Lean Startup philosophy emphasizes the importance of doing customer discovery and validation to determine whether a new product or service has enough customers to make the business viable. Figuring out exactly who these customers are and creating a business model is a vital part of a successful launch.
We are very excited to announce that Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center won the SBA’s Lean for Main Street competition in February to pilot a modified version of the Lean Startup curriculum!
We were one of only five economic development organizations across the US to be given the award, which included $25k for Renaissance and the opportunity for two Renaissance staff to travel to Washington DC to learn about the Lean Startup curriculum. April Gilbert of Renaissance SoMa and Tim Russell of Renaissance Mid-Peninsula attended the kickoff of the training (see photo in front of the West Wing of the White House with other winners of the SBA award).
We will pilot the curriculum at our SOMA location this year, catering especially to women at the pre-launch stage of their business. Stay tuned!
Kareen Boncales
Program Associate