Coming up with a good startup idea

Henrik  Berglund  Chalmers  University  of  Technology  Center  for  Business  Innova8on  

henber@chalmers.se  www.henrikberglund.com  

@khberglund    

 Coming  up  with  a  good  startup  idea  

2013-­‐10-­‐24   1  

Three  heuris8cs  (can  be  combined)  

1.  Solve  a  problem  you  have  yourself  

2.  Choose  a  market  you  would  like  to  serve,          find  out  what  problem  those  people  have  

3.  Clone/tweak  what  works  elsewhere  

1)  Solve  a  problem  you  have  yourself  

Ask  yourselves  

Why  doesn't  someone  make  X?  If  someone  made  X  we'd  buy  it  in  a  second!      Are  you  “ahead  of  the  curve”  on  some  dimension?    If  so,  your  problems/needs  may  be  common  in  the  future.  

2)  Choose  a  market  you  would  like  to  serve      find  out  what  problem  those  people  have  

Who  do  you  want  to  work  with?    

What  problems  do  they  have?  

Talk  to  people  (you  probably  know  some)    Search  forums,  twiTer,  Facebook  and  blog  post  for  common  complaints  and  problems  (and  ask  to  contact  them)    

Polled  his  blog  readers  for  1  or  2  favorite  cook  books  

Polled  his  blog  readers  for  1  or  2  favorite  cook  books  Selected  books  with  4,5  or  higher  on  Amazon  

Polled  his  blog  readers  for  1  or  2  favorite  cook  books  Selected  books  with  4,5  or  higher  on  Amazon  Read  most  helpful  reviews:  what  is  missing?  

Polled  his  blog  readers  for  1  or  2  favorite  cook  books  Selected  books  with  4,5  or  higher  on  Amazon  Read  most  helpful  reviews:  what  is  missing?  Gross  list  of  recepies/items  for  his  new  book  

3)  Clone/tweak  what  works  elsewhere  

Copying  is  generally  good  advice  

Copy  80%    Innovate  20%  

Copy  99%    Innovate  1%  

In  sum  

1.  Solve  a  problem  you  have  yourself  

2.  Choose  a  market  you  would  like  to  serve,          find  out  what  problem  those  people  have  

3.  Clone/tweak  what  works  elsewhere  

Tools  

hTp://steveblank.com/tools-­‐and-­‐blogs-­‐for-­‐entrepreneurs/    hTp://pla_ormsandnetworks.blogspot.se/2012/12/managing-­‐startups-­‐best-­‐posts-­‐of-­‐2012.html    hTp://www.appsumo.com/sumo-­‐jerky/    (more  of  a  fun  example)    

Ideas  used  in  this  presenta8on  hTp://paulgraham.com/startupideas.html  hTp://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2013/08/08/low-­‐risk-­‐entrepreneurship/  hTp://www.slideshare.net/andrew_null/zero-­‐to-­‐trac8on  hTp://kevindewalt.com/2013/08/26/looking-­‐for-­‐a-­‐startup-­‐idea-­‐first-­‐pick-­‐your-­‐market/          

Henrik  Berglund  Chalmers  University  of  Technology  Center  for  Business  Innova8on  

henber@chalmers.se  www.henrikberglund.com  

@khberglund    

Tack!  

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