The document outlines a course (Duke ECE 490L) focused on launching new ventures in electrical and computer engineering, covering essential aspects such as customer discovery, demand creation, and market research. It includes exercises for feedback collection, developing customer case studies, and strategies for engaging early adopters. Examples are provided, such as Olark and Mint, to illustrate successful marketing techniques and the importance of brand recognition.

1. Duke ECE 490L: How to Start New Ventures in
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Poornima Vijayashanker
poornima@femgineer.com
Jeff Glass
jeff.glass@duke.edu
Akshay Raut
ar118@duke.edu
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2. Review
• Customer Creation
• Concierge MVP
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3. Review Session:
Wednesday October 23, 2013
DUHatch
Idea Summary
Sign up for a session here!
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4. Agenda
• Feedback Collection
• Customer Case Study
• Demand Creation Activities
• Exercise
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5. Market Research
Customer Discovery
Early Adopter
Pricing
Product
Distribution
Validation
Customer Creation
Business/Company
Formation
Mainstream Adopters
Money for Marketing
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6. Customer Discovery
Validation
Customer Creation
Business/Company
Formation
Early Adopter
Pricing
Product
Distribution
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7. Questionnaire.
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8. Identify
prospects.
Send out
survey.
Check # of
responses.
Who didn’t
respond?
Who did
respond?
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9. Identify
prospects.
Send out
survey.
Check # of
responses.
Who didn’t
respond?
Who did
respond?
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10. Why?
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11. Drill down further.
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12. Ask for referrals!
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13. Keep track of case studies and testimonials.
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14. How to Do a Customer Case Study
• Who are they?
• Why did the pick you?
• How did your product benefit them?
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15. Persona.
Testimonial with name and picture.
Full story.
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16. Multiple user segments?
Showcase each.
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17. Stories of existing customers attract others
just like them!
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18. Bake your brand recognition into your product.
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19. Case Study #1: Olark
• Live chat
• Widget on homepage of websites
• Builds virality through frequent recognition
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20. Inbound interest comes from demand
creation activities.
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21. Demand Creation
• Market adoption v. Market share
• Education
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22. Educate Each Group
• Experts
• Connectors
• Earlyvangelists
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23. Techniques
• Experts: need to understand the unique value
proposition of your product.
• Connectors: need to know most relevant connections,
and a way to leverage their existing networks.
• Earlyvangelists: make the message memorable for them
to convey.
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24. Case Study #2: Mint
• Experts: Suze Orman
• Connectors: financial bloggers and badges.
• Earlyvangelists: sharing infographics.
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25. What if you’re segments change?
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26. DESTROY EVERYTHING!
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27. Remember the definition of positioning?
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28. Image in the mind’s of prospects and customers.
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29. Exercise!
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30. Review
• Feedback Collection
• Customer Case Study
• Demand Creation Activities
• Exercise
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