About Us

Welcome to WKI

At WKI, we’ve spent our careers working with engineers and scientists with “napkin” ideas.  You’ve seen these ideas – the ones that look intriguing, but it’s just not clear what the business value might be. Is the commercial potential hiding somewhere inside this idea?

That’s why we created the WKI Design Your Business methodology – a step-by step, easy-to-use design thinking methodology with frameworks that guide people to design and communicate the business value proposition their new idea presents. All too often innovators present the elegance of the science or technology but lack an understanding of the business fundamentals to present a clear and compelling business proposition.

That’s where we come in….

Since 2005, WKI has helped put new ideas on the payload of a spacecraft, launch new drug discoveries, translate research into business value, get founders investor ready and more.

The WKI visual ideation tools guide innovators to develop mastery of the business topics that often elude them in conversations with investors, customers and other potential supporters.  Topics such as:  product/market fit, customer discovery, customer use cases, competitive differentiation, and financial viability. Through our ideation and design process, users discover the best path forward to market to create a winning startup plan, research grant proposal, or new venture pitch.

The WKI Methodology

WKI gives you a set of visual design thinking tools to explore the business value of new ideas. There are always gaps and blindspots with any new idea and WKI is there to help think through these gaps and design the best path forward to success.

Using our ideation methodology innovators and organizations have access to a proven process and program to bring their ideas to reality – before investing time and money.  The design thinking tools inside the WKI method provide innovators with a structure to explore the commercial options for their idea so they can commit to the best path forward to success.

WKI gives you a roadmap that is:

 

Easy to Use

WKI fits easily alongside the innovation processes and management styles of advisors, coaches and trainers. And innovators of all types love the friendly, engaging style of the visual frameworks.

Visual & Engaging

The visual tools that are the foundation of WKI are loved by people with ideas from all walks of life. The visual tools inspire deep, focused conversations about the value of new ideas.

Step-by-Step Guidance

WKI sets up a logical sequence of conversations to explore and discover the best path to market for an idea.

Who’s using it?

WKI is being used by organizations globally to prepare innovators to master business fundamentals, design the business value for their ideas and get investment ready.

“WKI has been a steppingstone for moving business ideas and concepts into action for our student entrepreneurs. The methodology is practical and efficient and is a key part of our incubator programming. It is highly recommended by our companies, staff, and our in-house mentors.”

— Shannon Pastizzo, Program Director, USF CONNECT, University of South Florida

How Do Organizations Use WKI?

The WKI methodology can easily be integrated with your existing programs and initiatives. Our training and certification program equips you to start using the methodology either as a standalone ideation program or to supplement other innovation initiatives.