Startup Literacy

Master thesis exploring ways to make startup literacy more accessible and actionable for first-time underrepresented founders.

About

This project grew from my deep interest in how innovation is created and delivered to people. This led me to explore the topic of startup entrepreneurship, and inspired by the journey of a close friend who is a founder, I chose to focus on how underrepresented entrepreneurs, especially women, can be better supported in entering and navigating the startup world. The project consists of a written thesis based on qualitative research and a UX concept that explored this topic through the lens of interaction design.

Type of project

MFA Interaction Design thesis at Umeå Institute of Design done during spring 2024

main focus

UX design, UX research

Contribution

Individual project

The short version

challenges / opportunities

Startup entrepreneurship has the potential to make a strong impact on the world we live in. However, it also faces challenges such as a high barrier to entry and a lack of diversity. These issues mean that the solutions brought to market may not fully reflect the needs of different users, and the gains of innovation are often concentrated among a limited group.  

Making startup entrepreneurship more accessible offers a great opportunity for more equality and for innovations that benefit a wider range of people.

Graph inspired by the “new startup” model from Ojeaga (2016)

Cover of written master thesis

project outcome

The project resulted in an 80-page thesis on the topic of startup literacy, approached from an interaction design perspective. It covers the entire process, findings from various activities, and the UX concepts I developed as part of the thesis.

Writing the thesis was not only a key requirement for my master's degree, but it also gave me the opportunity to reflect on my work as an interaction designer. Through this process, I gained confidence in my ability to manage all necessary activities and independently lead a project from start to finish within the design process.

design outcome

Based on my research, I designed the concept a platform that supports first-times founders in navigating their entry to the startup ecosystem by joining a community of other impact-driven entrepreneurs.

There they can learn from each other’s journey, and access tools and frameworks fostering the development of a startup literacy which aligns with their values and life circumstances.

discover

Quote from entrepreneur at the beginning of her journey

research activities

I used ethnographic research methods, interviewing and following female entrepreneurs, educators, and other startup ecosystem actors, including someone working in a VC fund. The goal was to understand the journey underrepresented entrepreneurs go through and what values they are bringing with them. At the same time, I conducted market research to explore the resources available to them and see how well they meet their needs.

What I found is that entrepreneurship is a deeply personal journey, full of learning and personal challenges. The tools currently available don't reflect this (they focus on specific parts of the journey and overlook the founder's personal experience). As a result, these tools can feel disconnected and the barriers to entry can be overwhelming, especially for those outside the field or who don't fit the typical entrepreneur profile.

sense making

Mapping the insights alongside the journey gave me a parallel perspective to the one that we more commonly see which focus on the financial state of the business to one that highlights the founder's personal journey — what I call the mountain of creative resilience. This emphasizes the skills they acquire and, the problem-solving capacities they develop, and the confidence they build.

By mapping the steps founders take and the insights into how they navigate entry into the startup ecosystem, I gained a deeper understanding of their journey, including its high points and challenges. This served as a foundation for later ideation activities.

process user journey with insights and opportunities

Entry path to entrepreneurship (derived from user journey)

Driven by impact

The startup journey is motivated by a desire for impact rather than primarily looking for financial gain.

Gradual process

The path towards entrepreneurship follows a gradual and non-linear process.

Network navigation

Having a strong network and connections is crucial when it comes to activities such as accessing resources, exchanging knowledge, discovering opportunities, and finding collaborators and future employees.

Knowledge exchange

Aspiring entrepreneurs seek guidance and support from experienced people they can relate to. On the other side, experienced entrepreneurs are often open to share their knowledge and expertise, but they're not always able to due to time constraints.

Holistic approach

Considering life circumstances is integral to the decision-making process regarding embarking on the startup journey.

6 main insights to work with

What I discovered is that their journey is not only interesting, but the way they navigate it and the values they bring are especially worth sharing. And this aspect isn’t talked about much and that’s why I captured it in six key insights.

This helped me decide on the type of content to focus on and how to present and engage with it on the platform.

define

example of early stage wireframe used as sacrificial prototype

from insights to prototypes

I began the ideation phase by holding small sessions with people who were not on an entrepreneurial path. I shared insights from my research and the design principles I derived from it and together, we brainstormed possible solutions that would help them feel more confident and better navigate the early stages of an entrepreneurial journey. We quickly sketched ideas and created sacrificial prototypes, which I later presented to experts and entrepreneurs for feedback.

During this process, the idea of a platform quickly emerged and was further refined. I chose this concept because participants appreciated its ease of access and highlighted how it could lower the barrier to entry for aspiring entrepreneurs. Additionally, the scalability and impact potential of a platform solidified my decision to pursue it further.

develop

iteration and feedback

I used low-fidelity sacrificial prototypes to get feedback from entrepreneurs and experts, which helped me refine how the platform would function and identify its key features.

This phase allowed me to focus on the idea of sharing tools alongside the entrepreneurial journey. It also highlighted the importance of using neutral language that emphasizes impact and collaboration, rather than language that targets a specific minority group.

getting feedback and further developing the concept with a startup founder

deliver

final concept and presentation

I designed each screen around a fictional journey that reflected insights from my research.

This approach helped me be more intentional with the elements I included and made it easier to present the concept clearly during my final presentation.

This is some text inside of a div block.

reflections

paying attention to what works

This thesis was both challenging and rewarding. I appreciated the freedom to explore a topic I cared about and saw more clearly how design and entrepreneurship overlap, especially in how both rely on iteration and feedback.

One key lesson was that as designers, we often try to create something entirely new, but starting with what already works can sometimes lead to more impact. Design is also about enabling connections—between people, between people and resources, and between people and systems.

I’m really grateful to everyone who contributed, from the people I interviewed to those who gave feedback and challenged me throughout the process (especially my wonderful mentors Gertrud and Babsi) .

‍