Gate 2: Who is the Customer?
Find Your First Fans
Gate 2: Who is the Customer?
Let’s dive into finding your customers
Okay, you’ve got an idea and a team – now, who exactly are you building this for? Gate 2 is all about figuring out your first group of users or customers. We’ll show you how to break the big market into smaller segments, talk to real people to understand their needs, and zero in on your ideal audience (your ‘beachhead’ market). By the end, you’ll know who your true fans are and how to reach them.
Gate Structure
The Gate is divided into several Keys ( Themes), each focusing on a specific aspect of entrepreneurship. Each Key includes readings, discussions, practical assignments, and business-related deliverables.
Themes You’ll Cover
Key 1 : Market Segmentation
Key 2: Market Research
Key 3: Identify Beach Head Market
Key 4 : Build End User Profile and Persona
Key 5 : Beachhead Market Size
Applications and Assessments
The programme emphasises the practical application of each concept through various exercises to be performed both independently and in groups. These activities provide students with opportunities to grasp the concepts and develop their skills.
What you will get from the Gate
Learn how to split a broad audience into specific groups so you don’t try to serve ‘everyone’ at once.
Get real-world experience interviewing people to test your idea – find out what your potential users actually need or want
Figure out your beachhead market – the perfect starting group of customers most likely to love your product.
Create a simple customer persona (a mini profile of your ideal user) so you can design your product for a real person, not a faceless crowd
Estimate how big your initial market could be – no complicated math, just a clear picture of how many people might be out there waiting for your solution
Certificate and Badges
Students are awarded a certificate upon completion of the gates. They also receive badges upon completing an application related to a specific skill set.
Badge 1: Customer Detective – for conducting insightful market and end-user research
Badge 2: Market Mapper – for effectively segmenting, evaluating, and selecting a beachhead market
What is required from you
The Gate is divided into several sections, each focusing on a specific aspect of entrepreneurship. Each module includes readings, discussions, practical assignments, and assessments.
How we support you
We will provide support throughout your learning experience. Your learning Success manager will be available to support you if you have any questions or need any help. You can also schedule one session with a mentor to discuss entrepreneurship questions related to this gate.
Delivery system
Concept Notes
Applications Exercises of each Theme
Videos Explaining Each Concept by Experts and Entrepreneurs
Webinars to discuss the themes with students
Thematic Interactive Discussion with the Learners
Peer Evaluation
Mentorship Session
Virtual Class
Assessments
Badges and Skills
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Skills
Market segmentation
Primary market research (PMR)
Beachhead market selection
Customer persona building
End user profiling
Market size estimation (TAM)
Interviewing and empathy skills
Hypothesis testing
Bias identification (e.g., confirmation, selection bias)
Ecosystem navigation
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Use Case
Identifying and comparing customer groups for targeted outreach
Interviewing users, gathering real-world data, and validating assumptions
Choosing a focused starting market to launch your idea effectively
Creating human-centred representations of target users
Understanding detailed user motivations, behaviours, and demographics
Evaluating the business potential of a chosen market
Connecting deeply with users to uncover true needs
Making decisions based on data, not guesses
Improving decision-making in business and research
Identifying watering holes, partners, and economic buyers
Real World Applications
Building and launching a startup with a clear customer focus
Conducting interviews or market validation for school or uni projects
Designing marketing or go-to-market plans
Applying for internships in product, UX, or market research roles
Applying for innovation competitions or incubator programs