Small businesses frequently fail because of lack of understanding of customer needs. Customer discovery is the first step in the lean start-up methodology and programs like the NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program and start-up incubators. It’s easy to blindly think that your chemistry discovery or innovation is the greatest and will attract funding and customers. However, understanding the needs of potential customers, through customer discovery interviews, surveys, and other types of market research, is incredibly powerful intelligence that can align your company for success. With green technologies, discovering innovations that will provide unique and better solutions that aren’t possible with existing technology will set yours apart from the rest. Having consulted to numerous small green businesses over the past year, there is a wide range of needs and often a lack of chemistry expertise. This presentation will offer a variety of tips and resources for beginning green chemistry entrepreneurs.

Power of customer discovery and other tips for green chemistry entrepreneurs

2019 Spring National Meeting

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.