mHUB offering free workshops that are available through UTRP collaboration
mHUB, the Chicago-based hardtech and manufacturing innovation center that is a partner of the University of Tennessee Research Park and its new “Cleantech Accelerator,” has announced the first five sessions in an ongoing series of workshops that are free mHUB collaborators.
- “Business Model Canvas” – February 9 at 10 a.m. CST. One of the strongest tools in the entrepreneur’s repertoire is the Business Model Canvas (BMC). When used to its full potential, the BMC helps companies align on their current state, ideate new paths forward, and design an impactful future. This workshop, taught by Jarrod Lowery of Do Tank, will help you understand the difference between your user, buyer, and financer, and how to craft a compelling story about how your solution addresses each of their goals. Click here to register.
- “Product Development Roadmap” – February 10 at 2 p.m. CST. The focus will be on the necessary steps to take a prototype to commercialized product. A product roadmap helps forecast the specifics of when and how to build product features and increase customer satisfaction. This class is taught by Steve McPhilliamy of Nemera. To register, click here.
- “Mastering your Market: Market Research and Customer Discovery” – February 16 at 3 p.m. CST. Understanding your market and your customer is vital to securing your company’s competitive edge. Led by Patrick Donohue of Snapon, this class will explain the importance of market research/industry analysis and how they can inform your product development and cover best practices for outsourced and DIY’d research. Then, the conversation will shift to customer discovery and how to find and secure customer validation. Register here.
- “Constructing Your Pitch” – February 17 at 1:30 p.m. CST. Storytelling is at the core of every business. As entrepreneurs, it is critical to share your idea in a way that inspires and engages others in your organization, builds trust, and uncovers the most powerful and compelling elements of your mission statement. Whether it is a 60-second pitch or a five-minute competition, this is your chance to learn how to create an effective pitch. Registration link is here.
- “Design Frameworks for Hardware Product Development” – February 23 at 2 p.m. CST. No matter how complex, hardware products must be properly planned out before the thoroughly detailed design begins. Failure to do so could result in wasted time, scrapped prototypes, and overly expensive designs iterations. This class will focus on two main frameworks for Hardware Design: Systems Design and Design Thinking. Taught by Jim Shaw of Fastway Engineering, you will have a better idea of exactly which features to invest your time (and money) in when designing your next product. To register, click here.
