🧠 Idea Statement
✅ What this stage is about
This is where you bring clarity to your idea — not with a pitch deck or business case, but with a simple, focused statement of what your idea is, who it helps, and why it matters.
It’s a chance to zoom out and capture the essence of your idea in plain language. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s alignment.
✨ Think of this like planting your flag. From here, everything else can grow with more purpose.
🎯 What you’ll learn
- How to summarise your idea clearly and confidently
- How to answer: “What are you building, and why?”
- How to make your idea more relatable and focused
- How to spot assumptions hidden in your early thinking
🛠️ Tools and methods
- Sentence templates to guide your wording
- Value Proposition Canvas (early reference)
- Problem–Solution–Benefit format
- 1-minute test: can someone else explain it back to you?
- Optional: Use sticky notes or a whiteboard to refine live
🚧 Watch-outs
- Don’t overcomplicate — aim for clarity, not completeness
- Avoid buzzwords or overused terms (e.g. “AI for everyone”)
- Try not to list features — focus on the core idea
- Don’t worry if it changes later — this is a starting point
🧠 Tips from the field
“You’re not just explaining what it is — you’re starting to shape what it could become.”— IEN contributor
“Write it like you’d explain it to a friend or colleague, not an investor.”
📚 Helpful links & resources
- Value Proposition Canvas – Products & Services
- Gain Creators & Pain Relievers →
- Customer Jobs →
- 🔗 Download: Idea Statement Worksheet (.docx)
✍️ Starter templates
Use one of these to begin shaping your idea statement:
Simple starter:
“We’re building [a product/service] that helps [customer] solve [problem] by [how it works].”
Problem-first format:
“Many [type of person] struggle with [pain]. Our idea helps by [solution], leading to [benefit].”
Why-now version:
“With [trend/context] changing how people [do something], our idea provides a better way to [outcome].”
🧩 From here, you’ll move into:
