I3 - Product-Market: Fit or Die!
- Event
- iCCC2026 - iCampus Cottbus Conference
2026-05-05 - 2026-05-07
Cottbus - Band
- Vorträge
- Chapter
- Workshop Entrepreneurship
- Author(s)
- Dr. A. Olmes
- Pages
- 26 - 27
- DOI
- 10.5162/iCCC2026/3.1
- ISBN
- 978-3-910600-10-2
- Price
- free
Abstract
Product-Market: Fit or Die! Why do most start-ups fail — even when the technology is impressive, the team is smart, and funding is available? The uncomfortable truth: not because of technology, but because of missing ProductMarket Fit (PMF). This workshop is not about buzzwords, polished pitch decks, or theoretical business plans. It focuses on the one question that truly determines success or failure: Does anyone genuinely need what you are building — and are they willing to pay for it? Drawing on 18 years of venture capital experience, first-hand founder and CEO roles, and the analysis of hundreds of failed and successful start-ups, this session breaks down • • • why investors say no to technically outstanding products, why many teams jump into “sales mode” while still misunderstanding the real customer problem, and how Product-Market Fit can be felt long before revenues, KPIs, or growth curves make it obvious. Using real-world case studies — from spectacular failures to successful exits — participants learn how to identify true customer pain points, formulate and test value.