Has the Lean Startup Failed Us? If Not, How Not? If So, How So?

The Lean Startup has been widely featured in the media and adopted across a range of corporate-, university-, and community-based new venture programs. In fact, the acronym “MVP” may now be as connected to startups as it is to sports. Yet, evidence related to the effectiveness of this twist on the hypothesis-driven approach to product if not venture development appears to be mixed.

In this session, rather than put the Lean Startup on trial by way of a panel discussion, we will invite an open exchange on our experiences employing lean methods. Participants will work in groups, sharing experiences and insights.

The goals: to understand the limits of the Lean Startup; how we might best engage this method; how we might extend it; and when it may not be a great fit for the challenge at hand.

David Touve, University of Virginia

Track: Curriculum