Growth

Unlock the potential for sustained success.

Volta Growth is the third stage in our residency program. For Volta Growth, we focus on supporting teams with an existing product and traction by way of users or paying customers.

We understand that as your startup evolves, so do the challenges and opportunities that come with growth. Our experienced coaches and advisors are here to help you navigate this critical phase in your startup journey.

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As a founder in the Growth stage, your primary goal is to optimize your growth strategy, address key challenges, and establish effective processes and systems that will allow you to continuously improve your product to find Product Market Fit.

Problem Hypothesis

Documenting Problem Hypothesis

We'll help you identify and document the assumptions you're making about the problem, target customers, and potential solution. This enables you to recognize the crucial aspects that need to be tested and validated

Market Research

Conducting Market Research:

We'll guide you in building the skills necessary to research the market you're targeting, understand the alternative solutions available to your target customers, and define the segments of the market that your solution will aim to address. This will help you gain valuable insights into the competitive landscape and identify potential opportunities for differentiation.

Early
Adopter
Funnel

Building an Early Adoptor Funnel:

We'll support you in creating an early adopter funnel designed to attract and convert early adopters. This involves testing messaging strategies that engage and convert individuals who are open to discussing your startup idea.

Research & Evidence

Developing Problem Research Questions:

You'll learn how to design research questions that gather unbiased data from your prospects. This evidence is essential for determining the critical features of your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and deciding which features can be implemented later.

Customer Discovery

Conducting Customer Discovery Interviews:

We'll provide guidance on conducting customer discovery interviews with prospective customers, allowing you to gather valuable insights and feedback on your ideas, helping you further refine what is truly needed to deliver value to the market.

Analyze Results

Analyzing Interview Results:

You'll learn to analyze the outcomes of customer conversations to refine your assumptions, focus on the most pressing problems, and pinpoint the issues that customers are willing to pay to resolve.

By developing these skills, you and your team will be well-equipped to validate your startup ideas and create products that cater to the needs of your target customers.

Problem Hypothesis

Investment Readiness:

Securing the necessary funding to fuel your growth is critical when scaling your startup. At VOLTA Growth, we'll prepare you for investment readiness by guiding you through creating a compelling pitch deck, honing financial projections, and understanding investor expectations. Our growth coaches and experienced investor network will provide valuable feedback to ensure you approach investors confidently. We'll also help you identify suitable funding opportunities, from angel investors and venture capital firms to government grants, and facilitate introductions to potential investors within our network.

Market Research

Growth Strategy Optimization:

Our growth coaches will work closely with you to review and refine your growth strategy, ensuring it is aligned with your product vision and market opportunities. They will provide guidance on customer acquisition, retention, and expansion, helping you identify the most effective channels and tactics to achieve your growth goals.

Early
Adopter
Funnel

Performance Measurement and Improvement

Ensuring efficiency and effectiveness as your startup scales requires the right processes, systems, and performance measurements in place. Our growth coaches will guide you in refining your internal processes and implementing a data-driven approach to decision-making. By establishing a robust performance measurement system, you'll be able to track the right metrics, monitor progress, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions that drive growth and long-term success.

Research & Evidence

Team Building and Leadership

A high-performance team is crucial for the success of your startup. We'll help you assess your current team's strengths and weaknesses, identify key roles that need to be filled, and develop a plan to attract and retain top talent. Additionally, our growth coaches will provide guidance on leadership development, enabling you to lead your team effectively as you scale.

Work from Where It Works for You

All residency programs are virtual, but Growth residents have the option to do a space rental add-on.

MVP Design

Design

Customer Problem Mapping:
We'll guide you in mapping your customers' problems and their journey, and help you define a set of requirements that improve upon the existing solutions available in the market.
Feature Development and User Experience:
We'll assist you in converting the identified requirements into a set of features and user experiences, ensuring that your MVP is easy to understand and adopt.
Wireframe Design:
You'll learn how to create low and high fidelity wireframes, providing further clarity to the user experience you're aiming to develop.
Continuous Customer Discovery:
We'll support you in conducting ongoing customer discovery sessions to test the assumptions you're making with your envisioned solution. By gathering feedback, you'll be able to improve and refine your MVP's features and overall design.

MVP Development

Development

In the development phase of your Catalyst Residency, we'll work closely with you to bring your product idea to life. This stage involves conducting a gap analysis of the funding, talent, resources, and skill development needed to create your MVP and support its growth.

As a founder, you'll acquire valuable knowledge and skills to ensure the successful development of your MVP and the long-term sustainability of your company. In this phase, we focus on the following key areas:

Customer Problem Mapping:
We'll guide you in mapping your customers' problems and their journey, and help you define a set of requirements that improve upon the existing solutions available in the market.
Feature Development and User Experience:
We'll assist you in converting the identified requirements into a set of features and user experiences, ensuring that your MVP is easy to understand and adopt.
Wireframe Design:
You'll learn how to create low and high fidelity wireframes, providing further clarity to the user experience you're aiming to develop.
Continuous Customer Discovery:
We'll support you in conducting ongoing customer discovery sessions to test the assumptions you're making with your envisioned solution. By gathering feedback, you'll be able to improve and refine your MVP's features and overall design.

Access to Non-Dilutive Funding

Funding

As your company initial takes off, you will need to leverage non-dilutive funding to assist with building your product and attracting the right talent. It can often be difficult for a first-time founder to navigate the funding landscape and learn how to leverage the numerous funding opportunities within the region. At the Catalyst stage, Volta will assist you in navigating the non-dilutive funding landscape in Atlantic Canada by:

Sharing Knowledge:
We will introduce you to commonly accessed grants and share tips on how to apply and best leverage opportunities.
Making Introductions:
We will connect you with the right resources and advisors at partner funding organizations and economic development agencies.
Creating a Roadmap:
‍You'll learn how to create low and high fidelity wireframes, providing further clarity to the user experience you're aiming to develop.

Admission Requirements

Growth

Startup should have moved past idea stage backed up with early customer signal that there is a problem and that the startup is onto a possible solution
Startup should now be focused on heading into designing/developing an MVP to solve the identified problem
Startup founder is based in Atlantic Canada
Startup founder has agreed to meet with growth coach on 4-6 weekly cadence
Startup founder agrees to set KPIs using the Value Engine

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Do you have questions surrounding support at the Volta Signal level?
Email academy@voltaeffect.com and a member of the Volta team will be in touch within two business days.

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