Startup Essentials: Discover

What is this program about?

Understanding your customer is key to building a strong foundation for your business.

Knowing your customer lets you develop products and services that address their needs, pain points, and preferences, ideally resulting in product-market fit and paying customers!

The goal of this program

Our goal is to equip you with the skills and confidence needed to launch your startup and engage with customers effectively. By mastering these mechanics, you’ll develop products that truly meet market needs, stand out from the competition, craft compelling marketing and communications, and achieve sustainable growth through strong customer relationships.

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Joe Williams

Board Member

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Joe Williams

Advisor

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Why Register

After completing Discover, you will be able to:

Target Audience:

Master the art of Customer Discovery to reveal authentic market demand.
Develop a Problem Statement Canvas to address real customer challenges.
Gain meaningful insights from customer interviews to drive your startup’s success.
Identify and engage with early adopters who can champion your product.
Conduct competitive analyses to strategically position your startup in the market.
Understand the essentials of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
Chart your startup’s trajectory using the Lean(er) Canvas.

Program Schedule

Week 1: Customer Discovery & Insights
6-8 PM (MT) | Online

Learn the importance of Customer Discovery and the 4 Phases involved.
Define your hypothesis and practice with the Problem Statement Canvas.
Understand customer segmentation and how to select your target audience.
Discover where to find potential customers and how to build effective interview scripts.

Week 2: Validation, Competition & MVP Development
6-8 PM (MT) | Online

Understand the Innovation Sweet Spot: Desirability, Feasibility, Viability.
Explore Product-Market Fit and Assumption Mapping.
Define your competitors and conduct a Competitive SWOT Analysis.
Learn the essentials of MVP Development, including validation techniques.

Week 3: Value Proposition & Lean(er) Canvas
6-8 PM (MT) | Online

Understand the Feedback Loop, its definition, and purpose.
Learn about the Unique Value Proposition (UVP).
Explore and build your own Lean(er) Canvas.

‍Week 4: Reflection, Iteration & Next Steps
6-8 PM (MT) | Online

Engage in a final reflection on Customer Discovery, sharing key lessons learned and biggest takeaways in a group discussion.
Plan ahead to set yourself up for success by discussing the importance of continuing the journey beyond the program.
Learn about next steps, including additional programs, community resources, and wayfinding for continued growth.

Get Notified

Week 1: Customer Discovery & Insights
6-8 PM (MT) | Online

Learn the importance of Customer Discovery and the 4 Phases involved.
Define your hypothesis and practice with the Problem Statement Canvas.
Understand customer segmentation and how to select your target audience.
Discover where to find potential customers and how to build effective interview scripts.

Week 2: Validation, Competition & MVP Development
6-8 PM (MT) | Online

Understand the Innovation Sweet Spot: Desirability, Feasibility, Viability.
Explore Product-Market Fit and Assumption Mapping.
Define your competitors and conduct a Competitive SWOT Analysis.
Learn the essentials of MVP Development, including validation techniques.

Week 3: Value Proposition & Lean(er) Canvas
6-8 PM (MT) | Online

Understand the Feedback Loop, its definition, and purpose.
Learn about the Unique Value Proposition (UVP).
Explore and build your own Lean(er) Canvas.

‍Week 4: Reflection, Iteration & Next Steps
6-8 PM (MT) | Online

Engage in a final reflection on Customer Discovery, sharing key lessons learned and biggest takeaways in a group discussion.
Plan ahead to set yourself up for success by discussing the importance of continuing the journey beyond the program.
Learn about next steps, including additional programs, community resources, and wayfinding for continued growth.

Get Notified

“You have to be willing to be very wrong. Critically assessing the data gathered is key to getting benefit from this program. Doing it right may result in robust discussions among partners - and it’s worth it!”

Nora Brittney, Senior Manager, KPMG Canada

“Discover provides a solid framework for engaging customers to better understand the market potential and needs. It has saved us months in the process of starting our new business.”

Derrick Keoing, Founder & Chief Product Officer, Ontopical

This program is for

Startup Founders

Early-stage founders who need to refine their customer discovery process, better understand their market, and clearly define their value proposition to improve their chances of success.

Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Individuals with a business idea or early-stage startup looking to validate their concept, identify their target audience, and develop a solid foundation for their business model.

Innovation and Product Teams

Teams within established companies or organizations aiming to launch new products or services, who need to conduct thorough customer discovery and validate their ideas before moving forward.

‍

Registration Information

Discover is a 4-week program. You'll work alongside other founders and a dedicated Startup Expert.

Week 1: Customer Discovery & Insights
Week 2: Validation, Competition & MVP Development
Week 3: Value Proposition & Lean(er) Canvas
Week 4: Reflection, Iteration & Next Steps

The next cohort runs from March 24 - April 14, 2025.

Get Notified

Startup Founders

Early-stage founders who need to refine their customer discovery process, better understand their market, and clearly define their value proposition to improve their chances of success.

Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Individuals with a business idea or early-stage startup looking to validate their concept, identify their target audience, and develop a solid foundation for their business model.

Innovation and Product Teams

Teams within established companies or organizations aiming to launch new products or services, who need to conduct thorough customer discovery and validate their ideas before moving forward.

‍

Registration Information

Discover is a 4-week program. You'll work alongside other founders and a dedicated Startup Expert.

Week 1: Customer Discovery & Insights
Week 2: Validation, Competition & MVP Development
Week 3: Value Proposition & Lean(er) Canvas
Week 4: Reflection, Iteration & Next Steps

The next cohort runs from March 24 - April 14, 2025.

Get Notified

The Startups

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DecisionHub

Decisionhub is reducing bias in group decision-making through an online platform that allows organizations to efficiently make decisions on applications.

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TechJutsu

TechJutsu is a cybersecurity company specializing in Identity & Access Management.

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Moovez

moovez is a managed marketplace platform providing hassle-free moves & deliveries to SMBs and consumers.

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Marmot Benefits Inc.

Marmot Benefits offers modern debt relief strategies that give employees financial wellness support to help them be more engaged, motivated and happier in their job.

Learn More