Proof Positive
Prioritizing the customer perspective through a rigorous customer discovery-focused curriculum

About Proof Positive
Proof Positive is designed to help entrepreneurs identify and understand their target market and the needs of their potential customers.
This unique 4-week curriculum fuses Science Center startup expertise with the proven lean startup concepts of the National Science Foundation I-Corps methodology to help entrepreneurs build products that meet real customer needs and create long-term value.
Program runs Thursdays July 6 – 27
at Venture Café Philadelphia
Applications close June 26th
Proof Positive Curriculum
Designed in conjunction with NSF I-Corps Northeast Hub, Proof Positive helps entrepreneurs focus on customer discovery, leading to better and faster business validation.
This collaboration has been seeded by a generous gift from Spark Therapeutics to support entrepreneurs addressing unmet community needs with a focus on recruitment in West Philadelphia. The inaugural cohort of Proof Positive will culminate with The Marrazzo Award which will be presented to a groundbreaking company exemplifying the values of entrepreneurship and inclusive innovation espoused by Spark Co-founder, Jeff Marrazzo.
Following the cohort, eligible Proof Positive participants will have access to additional financial support from the NSF I-Corps Northeast Hub.
4:00-7:00P
Week 1 | July 6th
- Opportunity Assessments
- Customer Segments and Archetypes
- Customer Discovery & Segments
4:00-7:00P
Week 2 | July 13th
- Value Propositions
- Customer Interviewing Best Practices
4:00-7:00P
Week 3 | July 20th
- Generating Interview Insights
- Customer Ecosystem Diagram
- Business Model Canvas
5:30-7:00P
Week 4 | July 27th
- Market Opportunity
- Lessons Learned
- Customer Discovery Slam
- Featuring the Marrazzo Award for the most groundbreaking company *
Collaborators


Venture Café Thursday Gatherings
Join us every Thursday for a free gathering from 4:30 - 6:30pm at 3675 Market Street designed to connect innovators to make things happen.
The gathering is free and open to all members of the innovation community who have ideas, talent, resources, and/or passion to contribute and want to participate in a full slate of high-impact programming, informal conversation, and an overall fun experience!
