Photo by Migle Siauciulyte on Unsplash
The key to startup success is the ability to nurture a great idea and grow it into a viable business. By providing training, advice and research, Nightingale has supported startups in a range of industries, including healthcare, transport, retail and education through the complex process of turning a concept into a successful, desirable product or service, with a clear target market, messaging, business plan and roadmap.
Making a strong start
Through our work with accelerators, such as those run by Medilink and Leicester Startups, we give startups the knowledge they need to begin fleshing out their ideas.
We also teach basic research skills that allow founders to explore their market, engage with customers and gather data and insights that allow them to design user-friendly products and secure clients and funding.
Have a great idea? Use our business case template to ask the right questions and gather insights.
Getting off the ground
Once startups have established a solid idea, the next step is to secure funding. One of the best options for many startups is to apply for a grant from Innovate UK, which provides the opportunity to explore an idea further and design a product or service in a low-risk way. The application process is competitive - applicants are required to demonstrate a thorough understanding of their market and provide proof that their business has potential. This is where Nightingale comes in - bringing us on board as a subcontractor or collaborator greatly strengthens an application by showing the project has a strong team with the skills to research and develop a successful product.
Nightingale has worked with grant-funded startups in a number of sectors, including transport and food retail, providing qualitative and quantitative research that guides and accelerates the design and development process. Our focus on ensuring designs fit the needs of both the user and the market ensures that when companies come to the end of their IUK project, they have a viable, exploitable product with real business potential.
-Ralf Kernchen, CEO Accelogress
Refining and growing
As a startup begins to experience success and growth, there is often a need to refine business processes, add services and functionality and open up new markets. Nightingale has worked with a number of successful startups, particularly in the healthcare space, to review and understand existing markets, identify blockers to growth and highlight potential areas for expansion. Through desk research, interviews with existing customers and exploration of new target markets, our insights help to de-risk decisions and attract new investment.
