Market validation
Develop a value proposition with strong foundation
This program has been designed to support students and researchers in successfully moving their product-driven innovation forward. Innovators usually possess deep knowledge of their technology or method but you might lack expertise in the domains where it can create value.
The market validation program offers a guided process to develop a strong value proposition based on deep knowledge on how your innovation can create value. You will learn how to formulate a value creation hypothesis that can be validated through research and interviews. At the end of the program you will not only have a better understanding of where your innovation creates value, but also a stronger proposal to win interest from potential customers, partners and investors.
Next Dates
The next program starts in April 2026 with the following workshop dates:
Workshop 1: April 14th, 9:00 - 4:30 pm at UZH
Workshop 2: June 2nd, 9:00 - 12:00 at UZH
Workshop 3: June 29th, 9:00 - 12:00 at UZH
Currently, the market validation program is only offered to recipients of the UZH Innovation Grants.
Validating your idea early is critical to success. This program gives you the tools, guidance, and expert feedback you need to understand your market, test assumptions, and make informed decisions before investing significant resources into your startup project.
The program runs over approximately two months to allow for enough time to schedule and conduct interviews with experts and potential customers.
Program overview
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Format |
Focus |
|---|---|
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Workshop I |
LEARN: Develop and validate value hypothesis SHARE: Your Innovation |
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Coaching & Individual work |
Check-in with your Coach Validate your Hypothesis with Experts |
|
Workshop II |
SHARE: Your Value Hypothesis and insights from interviews LEARN: Develp a teaser, prepare for interviews |
|
Coaching & Individual work |
Check-in with your Coach Validate your Hypothesis with Customers |
|
Workshop III |
SHARE: Your value hypothesis and insights from interivews LEARN: How to go from value case to pilot/develop POC |
| Coaching | Check-in with your Coach |
| Innovator Mornings | SHARE: Value Case, One Pager Proposal |
Workshops
In the Workshops you will
- Develop a value hypothesis, learn to work with assumptions and how to quantify value
- Validate your hypothesis with experts and customers
- Learn and get insights from following your peers in their process
- Apply practical tools and methods for market validation
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Develop a clear action plan for your next steps
Coaching
We believe in practical, hands-on guidance. Coaches act as sparring partners, providing constructive feedback and helping you apply proven methods to your unique context. They ensure you stay on track, challenge assumptions, and support you in turning insights into concrete next steps.
Coaching will help you to:
- Tailor your approach to your specific market and customer segment
- Prepare and refine interview guides for expert and customer conversations
- Interpret feedback and translate insights into actionable improvements
- Stay focused and motivated throughout the validation process
Your team will have an experienced coach at your side throughout the program.
Your Coaches
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Michio Painter Michio is trained as a scientist with a PhD in Immunology. He has a broad experience in early-stage biotech, as a founder & CEO of a therapeutics startup and as seed-stage investor. Michio not only helps teams to identify the gaps in their entrepreneurial projects but also works to build investable teams for new life science technologies. |
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Emmi Kavander Emmi is an internationally active neurostrategist working at the intersection of business, communication, and psychology – building leaders' unfair advantage. |
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Jan Fülscher Jan is an entrepreneur at heart who has founded and co-founded several companies, mostly B2B/IT. Mentor, Innosuisse coach. Focus topics: growth, funding, selling. |
What experts on new product development say
«Before deciding on the indication and designing your proof-of-concept experiments to investors and industry, research the problem you aim to solve. Understand and test the characteristics of a minimal viable product (MVP) in the market including parameters like safety, efficacy, price, drug formulation and dosing. Talk to prescribers, users, and payers to learn why or why not they would choose your products over alternatives on market and in development.»
Liliane Brunner Halbach
PhD, Senior Expert External Affairs Roche
«At the beginning of the entrepreneurial journey it's important to define, test - and reject - as many market need hypotheses as possible. By doing this, the company learns to focus on what is most likely leading to a sustainable business case.»
Kynan Eng
PhD, Serial entrepreneur with extensive research experience, Co-founder of iniVation, QuantActions & iniLabs
Join the market validation program
Currently the market validation program is only offered to recipients of the UZH Innovation Grants. As a researchers at UZH you can apply for the grant twice per year.
Learn more about the UZH Innovation Grants.