Proposed Method for Problem-Solution Fit Phase at Start-up Incubator

Startup incubator has a major role in monitoring, evaluating, and managing startup progress. The most problem faced by startups is in the beginning phase, which cannot identify their product and market validation according to the specified time. This study uses the case of startup incubator owned by one of the biggest digital companies in Indonesia. From the total of 15 startups in 2018, nine startups are still in the customer validation phase and four startups are still stuck in the product validation phase. By using a qualitative approach through in depth-interview, the authors identify the factors that trigger the long period during customer validation and product validation. The findings suggest that the beginning process can combine customer validation and product validation phase using running lean methods by Ash Maurya. This research contributes theoretically to the more efficient beginning phase of the startup incubation process. Practically, the outcome of the research generates a self-assessment sheet and an online monitoring system to create a more effective and faster incubation process for startup incubators.