Understanding the IC Customer: Mission Fit, Readiness, and Market Context (STATION DC MEMBERS ONLY)

​This session, led by Kristyn Ream, will give founders a practical mental model for navigating the IC customer environment, including:

• ​Why the IC is not a single customer

• ​How the IC’s elements, missions, and customer needs differ

• ​The distinctions among mission users, customers, sponsors, buyers, funders, and decision-makers

• ​How to identify additional IC missions and customers beyond a company’s original target

• ​How technology maturity—including TRLs where applicable—and broader adoption readiness affect customer and pathway selection

• ​What strengthens or undermines a company’s credibility

• ​Common mistakes founders make when approaching the IC market

​The goal of this session is to help founders assess where their technology fits, which IC opportunities may be appropriate for their current maturity, and what they need to learn or validate before investing heavily in a particular path.