Startup traction is really hard, but you don’t have to do it alone!
There’s a new, completely free, entirely online cohort program specifically designed to help early-stage companies find traction through rapid prototyping.
The Traction Thinking Fall cohort is a 30-day rapid prototyping bootcamp with real-time and asynchronous support that teaches you how to test ideas with real customers — by actually doing it.
In fact, you’ll create a prototype and put it in front of customers 4 times in 5 weeks.
Apply Now!
When is it?
Applications are due Saturday, October 15th and the program kicks off with an asynchronous onboarding week on Monday, October 17th.
From there, the program runs for four weeks, ending in a “demo day”-like event on Friday, November 18th.
Program Overview:
- Week 1: Onboarding & forming an hypothesis
- Week 2: The what, why, & wow of rapid prototyping
- Week 3: Customer interviews & testing
- Week 4: Validated learning & iterating toward traction
- Week 5: Demo week & next steps
During each of weeks 2 through 5, you’ll create a rapid prototype, put it in front of customers, and get real data to determine if you’re on the right track.
Program format
There will be weekly, recorded live instruction, a second Q&A and co-working session, self-service video and text content, and some light gamification.
Because this is sponsored by the Sacramento MetroBusiness Center, it’s completely free. How cool is that???
Apply Now!
Why prototype?
Startup failure is inversely proportional to the number of prototypes you create:
- Zero prototypes? 95% fail.
- 10 prototypes? 50% fail.
- 50 prototypes? 18% fail.
You can quite literally turn the odds in your favor with rapid prototypes.
But is this just for software or physical products?
Heck no! You can prototype ANYTHING: software, hardware, physical products, services, communities, and more.
Who is this cohort for?
Any serious founder who wants to build something nontrivial with a high risk of failure. And who is willing to work hard to avoid that failure.
You should be able to invest at least 10 hours into your startup each week of the program.
The program is available globally, but the live sessions will occur during US business hours (they will be recorded, too).
This cohort is free!
Due to the generous sponsorship of the Sacramento MetroBusiness Center, this cohort is completely free for all participants.
Who is running this cohort?
This cohort program is facilitated by JDM (aka Josh David Miller), who has facilitated more than 30 cohort based programs for entrepreneurs, including the recent Startup Challenge, which was met with high acclaim from both participants and judges.
Dan Casas-Murray (the Lean Innovator himself) will also be on hand to mentor founders and co-facilitate.
This program is possible due to sponsorship from the Sacramento MetroBusiness Center.
More from JDM: Watch the video recording of How to Design a Winning Business Model.
