Become a UMSI Course Client and Receive Free Customer Discovery Work

Who Is It For?

Are you leading a very early-stage B2C startup and eager for actionable insights from your potential target customers? We’re seeking 8 startups that have identified a clear problem and potential target user. They are at a stage where customer discovery can meaningfully shape product-market fit and are still in the process of developing their product and/or market strategy. This is a great opportunity for Ann Arbor SPARK clients interested in receiving robust customer discovery findings from U-M undergraduates through the School of Information.

Commitment

• Partnering with UMSI course SI 311.085 involves four focused interactions, making this a convenient, high-impact experience for busy founders:
• Scoping Meeting (Jan 2026): 20-minute meeting with the Instructor (Natalie Fang) and Director of Entrepreneurial Services (Loren Townes)
• Kickoff Meeting (Jan 2026): 30 minutes with your student team to pitch your startup and help students understand your product and target market.
• Touchbase (Feb 2026): 20-minutes with the student team to review recruiting plans and interview materials. Startups with customer bases outside student networks should be prepared to provide 30-40 interviewees for the students.
• Final Presentation (April/May 2026): 30 minutes with the student team to learn about the findings and recommendations.

Outcomes

By semester’s end, your startup will receive informative, research-backed materials:

• 2 Personas: fictional, realistic description of a target user that is grounded by customer interviews
• 2 Journey Maps: Visualization for each persona, capturing the personas process in accomplishing the problem/goal
• Actionable recommendations
• 30-40 customer interview transcripts

These deliverables offer early-stage insights to inform your product design, marketing, and next steps at no cost to you!

How to Apply:

Fill out the application form by Friday, Jan 2nd.UMSI SPARK Customer Discovery Flyer

Ann Arbor SPARK

All posts by Ann Arbor SPARK