This document summarizes Lean Launchpad, a class at NYU ITP that teaches students to develop business models and launch products. It is taught by Jen van der Meer and Josh Knowles. The class takes students through the full business model canvas over the course of a semester, with a focus on iterative development and pivoting based on customer feedback. In past years, most student teams continued working on their projects after the class, with some incorporating and developing their businesses. The document reflects on lessons learned, like managing tensions between makers and managers, and encouraging collaboration over competition between teams. It outlines the class schedule and activities for both 2014 and 2015, which include developing value propositions, customer relationships, and minimum viable

1. LEAN
AT NYU ITP
Faculty Meetup
11.12.14
Jen van der Meer | jd1159 at nyu dot edu
Josh Knowles | chasing at spaceship dot com

2. ITP TEACHING TEAM
Jen van der Meer, Adjunct Professor at ITP since 2008
ITP courses + workshops: Bodies and Buildings, Products Tell Their
Stories, ITP VC Pitchfest. Currently: Reason Street, Informed Data
Systems, Angel Investor.
Josh Knowles, ITP ’07
15+ years as an independent developer/consultant, working with
numerous brands and start-up clients (currently under the aegis of
Frescher-Southern, Ltd.)

3. LEAN LAUNCHPAD AT NYU ITP
We embrace a creative, iterative, and collaborative approach to making things but
launching a product out into the world takes a somewhat different set of skills.

4. TEAM REQUIREMENTS
.
Apply in self-formed teams of 3-4 to develop their business
model and product/service over the course of the semester.
Open to all of NYU
At least one maker on the team, at least one, who can
make the concept they want to make.
Now encouraging the ideal team:
1. Maker/coder
2. Designer
3. One connector/business modeler
4. One ethnographer, listener

5. WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING IN 2014
.
Walk through the full canvas
Build to MVP, space for iteration

6. WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED
.
Walk through the full canvas
Pivoting continues until the end

7. WHAT WAS AWESOME
.
Student feedback mostly positive
Ecosystem: 20+ advisors
Mentors that showed up every week, and the mentor list
grew
Startup interviews, actors studio style, off camera, no
twitter, honest, rough real stories from founders
¾ teams have gone on, incorporated, and are getting good
at the hustle
It changed how we (the instructors) make and think

8. LESSONS LEARNED : CREATIVE FRICTION
.
Makers vs. Managers
Sunk Costs vs. Attachment
Competition vs. Collaboration

9. CLASS TIMEFRAME 2014
.
2/3
Value Proposition
UX Tools, Frameworks
1/27
Business Models
Customer Development
UX Tools Intro
2/17
President’s Day
2/10
Customer Segments
Research Tools
3/3
Customer Relationships
Partners,
Product Development
2/24
Revenue Streams
Distribution
Product Definition
3/10
Resources,
Activities, Costs,
Product Development
3/24
Customer Development
Product Development
3/17
Spring Break
4/7
Customer Development
Product Development
3/31
Customer Development
Product Development
4/21
Product MVP
4/14
Customer Development
Product Development
4/28
Lessons Learned

10. CLASS TIMEFRAME 2015
.
2/3
Value Proposition
Research tools
1/27
Business Models
Customer Development
2/17
President’s Day
2/10
UX Lab
Paper Prototypes
Sacrificial Prototypes
2/24
Early UX Wireframes
Value Proposition Test
3/3
User Profiles,
User Scenarios
3/24
Product Development
Customer Relationships
Plan user
3/17
Spring Break
3/31
Partners
Activities
Costs
4/7
Product Development
User test
4/21
Product MVP
4/14
Resources
Revenue
Landing Page Test
Marketing Test
4/28
Lessons Learned
2/24
Customer segments