Want to Explore the Process? Let's dive in!
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It Started with a Problem

I began by delving into the problem space surrounding the connection between startups and investors. The challenge lies in the limited networks of startups, the time-consuming search processes, and the lack of efficient solutions. Startups struggle to effectively convey their value propositions, while investors face difficulties in identifying promising ventures amid numerous options.

The factors exacerbating this gap include:‍

1. Information imbalances
2. Networking barriers
3. Distance
4. Poor communication channels
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Steps to bridge the gap:
1. Improve communication
2. Create clearer avenues for interaction
3. Educate both parties to understand each other better

The Power of Early Research

As I delved into the project, I turned to secondary research to build a strong foundation. Exploring industry reports, academic studies, and market trends, I uncovered key insights that shaped our approach, ensuring our solution was both user-centered and strategically aligned with business goals.

Primary Research - Uncovering Hidden Needs
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I dive into gathering direct insights from users through methods like semi-structured interviews. During these sessions, I ask open-ended questions to understand their experiences, pain points, and expectations, allowing me to gather rich, qualitative data that informs the design process.
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Key Issues Identified - Mapping User Pain

From Insights to Personas: A User-Centered Approach

It All Started with a Question, Then the Ideas Rolled In

"How might we remove obstacles in the startup investor landscape to effectively match entrepreneurs with compatible investors, thereby maximizing opportunities for both parties?"‍

Based on this problem identification, we brainstormed ideas and developed various solutions to enhance the matching process between entrepreneurs and investors, aiming to maximize opportunities for both.

We came up with around 50 different ideas to solve the problem and create a user friendly solution. It took us 3-4 sessions to brainstorm our ideas. We used the individual and group brainstorm method where each of us first thought of different ideas on our own and then discussed our ideas together as a group. This helped us come up with multiple ways to solve the problem and use different technologies and trends in our ideas.

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