Validate
Diagnose whether a problem is worth solving and run rigorous customer discovery, including with technical and regulated buyers.
Polaris Academy · Free · Now open
Entrepreneurship & Innovative Thinking.
A course that takes you from a research insight or technical capability to a fundable, ship-ready venture, built for people who want to launch deep tech, not just talk about it. Free to join, with live mentorship and a capstone reviewed by the PIN Startup Lab.
What you'll be able to do
Finish with a venture, not just notes.
Every module ends in a deliverable. By the end you'll have a capstone package, pitch deck, business model, MVP plan, and IP strategy, ready for PIN Startup Lab review.
Model & build
Translate a technical capability into a business model and plan an MVP for hardware, AI, or hybrid systems.
Protect & team
Combine patents, trade secrets, and open-source strategy, and recruit co-founders aligned with a multi-year mission.
Fund & scale
Fundraise through deep-tech capital stages, go to market with long sales cycles, and scale through the hard parts.
The curriculum
Twelve modules. One fundable venture.
Around 70 hours of work, with deliverables throughout and a capstone running through the second half.
01 · Foundations of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Get clarity on your founder "why" and how innovation actually happens.
02 · Identifying Problems Worth Solving
Run a problem audit and shortlist the few problems you'd risk a year on.
03 · Ideation & Opportunity Recognition
Map tech-push vs. market-pull and write a sharp opportunity statement.
04 · Customer Discovery & Market Research
Run 10 customer interviews and produce a validated problem + personas.
05 · Business Models & Value Creation
Build a Business Model Canvas, how you'll create and capture value.
06 · Lean Startup & Validation
Define your riskiest assumption, run an experiment, write the learning report.
07 · Building MVPs for Deep Tech
Scope an MVP and a 30-day prototype plan where lean advice falls short.
08 · Intellectual Property & Protecting Innovation
Run an IP audit and set a patent / trade-secret / open-source strategy.
09 · Building a Team & Co-founders
Assess co-founder fit and draft a hiring roadmap and equity sketch.
10 · Fundraising for Deep-Tech Startups
Build a pitch deck, investor target list, and grant shortlist.
11 · Go-to-Market Strategy for Deep Tech
Write a 90-day GTM plan and pursue your first pilot customer.
12 · Scaling, Leadership & Exit Strategies
Draft a 12-month operating plan and polish your capstone.
★ Capstone Project
A complete venture package, pitch deck, business model, MVP plan, and IP strategy, evaluated by PIN Startup Lab reviewers. Top capstones earn a Startup Lab spot, mentor matching, and a pre-seed funding interview.
It's free
Join the Academy on VarsityScape.
Create your free account, join the Polaris Innovation Network academy, and start the course.