The first 6 months of our National Science Foundation (NSF) SBIR research project have been productive, intense, and exciting. As our team pushes forward to develop INSIGHT™, a 3D GPR Tree CT system, to inspect and grade the quality of tree roots before planting, we also face the most significant questions: outside of our team and circle of supporters …
- Are we solving a problem that matters?
- Where do we fit in the complex ecosystem of the Green Industry?
- WHO CARES?
Most startups don’t fail because their novel ideas didn’t work; they fail because they don’t understand the industry or customer whose needs they propose to serve. The NSF wants us and our risky ventures to succeed. They have developed the NSF I-Corp™ Program to prepare us for successful commercialization - an assertive reality check not for the faint of heart!
Using the Business Model Canvas workflow, we have completed the “Beat-The-Odds-Bootcamp” segment focused on Customer Discovery. After interviewing 37 people from 20 states and Canada across all segments of the Green Industry, we’ve gathered a treasure trove of information. In part, I was inspired to attend Cultivate-2024, the Green Industry’s annual conference presented by AmericanHort. So, I’m on my way to Columbus, OH, to follow all the breadcrumbs and am eager to learn more.
Our entrepreneurial journey of Customer Discovery is just beginning; they tell us it will (should) never end!
ONWARD.
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