Professors can lead to the first sale

<p>For <a class="wikilink" href="/science-based_startups/">science-based startups</a>, one of the largest challenges is finding their first customer. Ideally a customer who is committed to buying even before seeing the product. </p> <p>Startups inherently lack credibility because they haven't done what they are doing before (<a class="wikilink" href="/essays/linkedin/23-12-13_trust_for_startups/">23-12-13_Trust for startups</a>). But the founders can have credibility because of their previous experience. That's why I believe the role of a professors who becomes co-founder (<a class="wikilink" href="/essays/professors_can_enable_scipreneurs/">Professors can enable scipreneurs</a>) can be to enable the first sale of an instrument (<a class="wikilink" href="/product_market_fit_for_scientific_instrumentation/">Product market fit for scientific instrumentation</a>). </p> <p>Leveraging their network, it is possible to create the opportunity that leads to a first customer interested in what the company is producing, even if it's via a more 'academic' partnership than a traditional purchase channel.</p>