The last Lean Startup Academy (LSA) session, organized by AAL2Business, has recently provided to 12 people, representing 8 AAL projects, a valuable opportunity to validate their business model and increase their commercial traction.
The AAL2Business Lean Startup Academy is a course performed over 4 months dedicated to AAL projects that have just started or at the mid-term of their implementation. The Academy is composed of 3 workshops and individual online coaching sessions lasting up to 8 hours each.
Due to COVID-19 pandemic the last Academy has been held online from September to December 2020. AAL projects ensured the exploitation of their results and the implementation of their technological readiness level (TRL).
Moreover, in view of a commercialization of their results and in order to address potential risks, individual coaching sessions have been delivered to support the projects in defining and fine-tuning their busines model, by using tools such as the lean canvas and the value proposition canvas.
The projects involved had the chance to further investigate strategies concerning funding opportunities and how to access the best source of capital.
The Academy gave also to participants a basic overview on IP fundamental, with a focus on: patents, utility models, design, trademarks, trade secrets, copyright and IP management; complexities and challenges usually faced by technological projects.
The analysis of a case study has been a remarkable novelty from the previous LSA edition: a practical exercise, based on a company specialized in 3D smart sensor technology and artificial intelligence for the health and care sector with application modules for fall detection and prevention, safety and dementia.
Therefore, participants had the chance to work together and define a real Lean and Value proposition Canvas.
We asked to some of them to an opinion on the Academy experienced:
Idoia Muñoz Lizán, (Eskilara). She took part in LSA, with the project ReMember-Me. She stated that:“thanks to LSA “we have been able to identify our customers and the most effective exploitation targeted on them”. Clearly an important step for the project ReMember-me that has designed a smart system to address the prevention and detection of cognitive decline promoting social inclusion among older adults.
Juan Mario Recumberri, (Iniciativa Social Integral per al Benestar) represented Breath, a project that provides innovative solutions for complementary care. Breaths aims to help informal caregivers using affordable solutions Juan defined the LSA as “a great experience that gave us the opportunity to learn new tools to apply to our business model. He added: “We appreciated a lot the workshop and its organization, which allowed us to have a better understanding of what we want to do and how we want to do it. “
In conlusion, Christoph Stahl, (List) represented the LIFANA project. Lifana aims to help seniors keep their BMI (Body Max Index) stable and follow nutritional guidelines through a prototype.
Christoph said: “the LSA was very helpful to develop a business plan specifically for the IP developed at LIST. I learned how to apply the lean canvas and value proposition canvas methods. Practical exercises and coaching sessions helped me a lot to understand how both are connected and to apply them correctly to my project. The AAL2Business Academy, was also helpful to develop a new business plan specifically for the IP developed at LIST. I recommend this activity to any AAL project to maximise its impact, ideally in the very beginning to make sure the solution developed has a chance of commercialisation and impact. It will for sure be helpful with future projects as well to consider the commercialisation options from the beginning”.
All of these positive feedbacks underline the usefulness of the Lean Startup Academy organized by AAl2Business. A concrete example of knowledge sharing, improvements and a source of new opportunities for projects involved.
