Idea-to-Market

The Stanford Idea-to-Market (I2M) program will give you the tools, techniques and real-world expertise you need to make your business idea a reality. Guided by Stanford faculty and industry professionals, you'll learn concrete ways to shape, frame, communicate and execute your business plan.

By the end of the program, you'll have a market-ready pitch that you can present to any stakeholder and potential investor. In this program, you will:

  • Follow a step-by-step guide to prepare your business idea for launch
  • Collaborate and network with an international cohort of entrepreneurs
  • Learn decision-making frameworks to assess market viability of your product
  • Create a financial simulation to measure your progress and performance
  • Receive feedback on your completed pitch deck and presentation from our industry expert mentors
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Platform

Learn 100% online

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Pace

Complete the program in 10 weeks, following a weekly schedule of lectures and exercises (100-120 hours of coursework total).

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Proof

Earn a Certificate of Completion

Program Components

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Who Should Enroll

The Idea-to-Market (I2M) program is designed for entrepreneurs, engineers, product managers, and other business innovators who want to bring a new idea to market—either individually or as part of a team.

Spotlight

Hear how Nelson Lee used what he learned in the Idea-to-Market Program to prepare for venture capital pitches and secure funding within six months after completing the program.

Spotlight

Meet Lutza Ireland

Lutza enrolled in the Idea-to-Market program with the goal of commercializing her PhD thesis. After finishing the program in November 2019, she's now ready to raise seed funding and get her startup rolling.

 

Get Started

 

Learning Modules

The Idea-to-Market faculty will guide you step-by-step through the process of preparing your business idea for launch. You’ll watch video lectures, complete at-home assignments, and receive feedback from your course mentor based on your particular idea, so that each week you move closer to making your idea a reality. You’ll build your business plan as you go and conclude the program by submitting your completed pitch and slide deck to our faculty and industry expert mentors.

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Assess and Define: Sharpening your Idea

Bringing a new business idea to fruition requires a sequential, systematic process—­from preliminary brainstorming to long-term ownership. Learn how to examine and evaluate a potential new product or service to determine market relevance-and acquire the necessary tools to develop a functional business model.

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Development and Launch: Moving from Vision to Reality

Any idea, regardless of how unique, has little value without the right context and application. Learn how to develop a credible value proposition, plan a workable go-to-market strategy, and pursue proven product development approaches that deliver on the product-market-fit.

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Planning and Execution: Making the Numbers Work

Your product is ready to go to market, but do you have a systematic plan in place that ensures your business goals are met? Learn to identify and define key planning and execution milestones, including critical metrics that measure progress and performance.

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Financing and Structure: Navigating Ownership Dynamics

It's never too early to establish investment and ownership parameters of your new business venture. Learn how to properly manage ownership dynamics, align the interests of both founders and investors, and use best practices to create a market-ready investor pitch and business presentation.

Faculty

Michael Lepech

Co-Academic Director

Michael Lepech

Associate Professor, Stanford University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University

Mike Lyons

Instructor

Mike Lyons

Adjunct Professor, Stanford University Department of Management Science, Department of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Pedram Mokrian

Instructor

Pedram Mokrian

Adjunct Professor, Stanford University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Lecturer, UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business