Richard Lucas, Founder of CAMentrepreneurs, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership:

“We are always on the lookout for valuable partnerships that bring extras to the CAMentrepreneurs community. This founder training program can help Cambridge alumni road-test their ideas and ensure they bring the customer's input early into their business development process. By integrating customer feedback from the outset, founders can significantly improve their chances of success."

Infrastructure Ventures, a leading global venture development firm, has announced a strategic partnership with CAMentrepreneurs to launch a comprehensive online founder training program designed specifically for Cambridge University alumni. This program will equip aspiring entrepreneurs with the essential skills and mindset needed to build successful businesses, with a focus on customer centricity—a hallmark of Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurial approach.

The four-week program offers a hands-on, peer-based learning experience, designed to teach entrepreneurs how to prioritize customer needs at the core of their business strategies. This practical, results-driven training program is built to bridge the gap between idea generation and achieving product-market fit, a challenge that many technical founders struggle with.

"Many technical entrepreneurs are often 'hammers looking for nails,'" says Ian Foley, partner at Infrastructure Ventures. "They focus so much on the technology that they fail to validate the market need, which can lead to running out of capital before they achieve product-market fit. This course is designed to change that mindset by teaching customer-centricity from day one.”

 The curated course is available to Cambridge alumni worldwide, further expanding the reach of entrepreneurial support across the global Cambridge network. This founder training program can be applied for up to CAMentrepreneurs up to December 31, 2024 as a pilot, after which participants will be surveyed for their feedback, results shared, and a decision taken as to whether to continue.  For more information or to register, please visit www.infrastructure.ventures/camentrepreneurs.

Program Structure and Key Features

The four-week 18 hour course is divided into three key stages:

1.  Customer Centricity:

The first stage introduces participants to the concept of customer centricity, emphasizing the importance of understanding the customer problem before building a solution. Entrepreneurs will learn how to shift their focus from technology-driven ideas to customer-driven needs, ensuring their products address real market demands.

2.  Peer-Based Learning:

Founders will then participate in a peer-based learning section where they are required to build out their entrepreneurial ideas. This collaborative learning environment encourages participants to brainstorm, iterate, and refine their ideas while receiving valuable feedback from their peers.

3.  Customer Profiling and Business Plan Development:

The final stage guides founders through the process of creating detailed customer profiles, identifying the target audience, and understanding their motivations and pain points. Each participant will upload their business plan, which will then be peer-reviewed by a panel of fellow entrepreneurs.

The feedback provided will cover various aspects of the business, including market need, business approach, product value proposition, and competitive positioning.

This peer-review component is an essential part of the program, enabling entrepreneurs to gain diverse perspectives on their ideas and refine their business models based on constructive About CAMentrepreneurs CAMentrepreneurs is a global network of Cambridge University alumni that facilitates and encourages the transfer of knowledge and capital to establish successful businesses among the alumni of Cambridge University.

CAMentrepreneurs has over 2,300 members and 9 chapters worldwide.

https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/camentrepreneur-introduction-oct-2024-pptx/272893534

About Infrastructure Ventures

Infrastructure Ventures is an international venture development firm that focuses on providing entrepreneurial talent with the tools and resources needed to accelerate growth and scale their companies. With a track record of supporting founders across various industries, Infrastructure Ventures is dedicated to fostering innovation and helping entrepreneurs reach their full potential.

Further information

Richard Lucas richardlucas@richardlucas.com Francisco Ribeiro  francisco@infrastructure.ventures