Dimension
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
How entrepreneurs turn opportunities into validated ventures through customer discovery, experimentation, business modelling and disciplined execution.
When an idea looks promising, how do you find out whether anyone actually needs it?
The keynote promise
Innovation creates possibilities. Entrepreneurship tests whether those possibilities can become viable ventures by putting assumptions in front of customers, building business models and learning what works.
Background
Shaped by Dr Neo's work with technology ventures and startup programmes.
Methods Dr Neo has taught
- Lean LaunchPad
- Design thinking
- Business Model Canvas
- Value Proposition Canvas
- Customer discovery
- Customer validation
- Pivoting
What the audience will learn
- How to distinguish an interesting idea from a validated opportunity
- The role of customer discovery and validation in venture development
- How business models help turn technology or ideas into viable ventures
- Why entrepreneurs need to test assumptions rather than simply build to a predetermined plan
- How experimentation and iteration can reduce uncertainty in new ventures
Who it’s for
Entrepreneurs, founders, startup teams, researchers, students, innovation teams, accelerators, investors and organisations developing new ventures.
Outcomes
- A way of deciding, on customer evidence, whether to persevere with, pivot or stop a venture idea
- Explicit customer, value-proposition and business-model assumptions, ready to be tested
- Ideas for low-cost experiments to run before committing significant time or capital
- A sharper distinction between developing technology and developing a viable business around it
Format & customisation
- Format & duration
- This topic can be adapted to the event format and duration. Specific format availability is confirmed on enquiry — see formats.
- Customisation
- The emphasis can be adapted to the audience, sector, organisational context, event objective and level of technical depth. For example, the session can be pitched at early-stage founders, researchers exploring a venture, or organisations running startup and accelerator programmes.
Selected speaking engagements
Examples of Dr Neo speaking on this topic in different settings.
Bring a different conversation about innovation to your next event.
Keynotes, panels and conversations on innovation policy, strategy, entrepreneurship and technology.