26-03-18 problem solution framework

<p>Week 3.5 of the spinout journey: "What problem do you solve?" Is a very loaded question. Use it with care when defining your value proposition. </p> <p>Many people (especially at incubators) ask entrepreneurs to define the problem they are solving. Often for innovative technologies, it becomes impossible to formulate a statement without going in circles. </p> <p>Last time, I talked about our approach to measuring nanoparticle size. When asked about the problem we were solving, it was very easy to create a tautology: the problem people have is that they don't have our technology. Completely useless statement, but enough to go through a pitch competition. </p> <p>By focusing so much on solving a problem, I overlooked the importance of enabling something new for our users. Creating new knowledge or a deeper understanding of the systems they were studying. </p> <p>Creating value is not always about solving a defined problem. Innovative tech is often about enabling someone to do a job that was impossible to achieve before. </p> <p>If you don't know what problem you are solving, don't over stress. Focus, ALWAYS, on what value you create.</p>