JOURNEY DETAILS

Structure & curriculum

The journey consists of 8 modules, divided into many small steps.

Encubate's curriculum is based on expertise and know-how of the world's most renowned organizations, leading experts & successful entrepreneurs.

MODULE 1

Self-discovery

In this module you will define what strengths, expertise, experience and knowledge make you unique. Businesses that are built around the unique strengths of their leader tend to have the highest probability of success.

You will go through a variety of exercises, develop new skills and receive guidance in order to:

Figure out how to make the best use of your key strengths (and weaknesses) as an entrepreneur
Define what "career capital" do you have in the eyes of others and how you can leverage it
Discover what is your personality type and what implications can it have for your future business
Reflect on what is your underlying motivation / vision to start a business

MODULE 2

Ideation

In this module you will generate a longlist of 5-30 business ideas (opportunities) that reflect your unique strengths. You will approach ideation from several different angles and use a number of methods, such as design thinking.

You will go through a variety of exercises, develop new skills and receive guidance in order to:

Go through a variety of exercises to get better in coming up with business ideas
Come up with business ideas based on your industry knowledge and previous experience
Generate business ideas based on your existing core abilities
Turn your interests and passions into business ideas

MODULE 3

Analysis

In this module you will analyze and evaluate your longlist of ideas and choose the one that is the most suitable for you. You will first shortlist the few most promising ideas using an adjusted founder-market fit method and then apply lean canvas to pick your top idea.

You will go through a variety of exercises, develop new skills and receive guidance in order to:

Shortlist the most promising business ideas from all the many ideas that you have
Pick the business idea which is the most suitable for you
Carry out a quick assessment of the potential of your top business ideas
Collect initial feedback from ÿour prospective clients and relevant experts

MODULE 4

Prototype

In this module you will create a simple prototype that you can use to speak to your prospects and test in the market. You will do this over a short period of time and without a major financial investment.

You will go through a variety of exercises, develop new skills and receive guidance in order to:

Define what assumptions / questions you shall test using your prototype
Decide what you shall include and not include into your prototype
Select what is the most efficient way to create your prototype

MODULE 5

Market test

In this module you will test your prototype in the market, gather feedback and assess the potential of your business idea. You will do this efficiently, on your own and in a bootstrapped manner.

You will go through a variety of exercises, develop new skills and receive guidance in order to:

Set questions to ask your prospects to make sure you get valuable feedback
Choose the easiest and most efficient way to test your business idea in the market
Evaluate your market test and integrate its conclusions

MODULE 6

Team

In this module you will reflect what human resources you will need and where and how to get them. This will help you get a better idea what help you will need to get your business off the ground.

You will go through a variety of exercises, develop new skills and receive guidance in order to:

Figure out what key positions / areas of your business you don't have covered
Make a list of options you have available to cover your key positions / areas
Plan how to bring people on board of your team even if you have very limited resources
Prepare the selection process to make sure you will find the right person to help you

MODULE 7

Financial plan

In this module you will prepare draft of your financial plan, based on the business concept that you have developed in the previous stages. You will receive a handy tool and detailed guidance that will help you with the planning.

You will go through a variety of exercises, develop new skills and receive guidance in order to:

Forecast your costs and revenues
Define the price of your product / service
Create a financial plan that will take various scenarios into considaration
Figure out how will your business look like in terms of profit and liquidity

MODULE 8

Next steps

In this module you will connect all the pieces together, work on risk management and set next steps. You will leave encubate with a concise plan (or a presentation) that you can show to possible partners, employees and investors. You will also have a very clear idea about what to do next.

You will go through a variety of exercises, develop new skills and receive guidance in order to:

Define some of the key risks of your business and how you can manage them
Make a list of legal and backoffice requirements you should take care of before starting your business
Plan a low-risk transition from your current job to your business
Make a plan and set next steps after you finish encubate