Da pesquisa ao produto mínimo viável: a perspectiva de uma spin-off acadêmica voltada ao tratamento de água em locais remotos

• Ano de defesa: 2022
• Autor(a) principal: Rafael Ferreira Martins
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: por
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Brasil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Inovação Tecnológica e Propriedade Intelectual; UFMG
• Palavras-chave em Português: Empreendedorismo tecnológico; Tecnologias sociais; Ajuste produto-mercado; Startups; Modelo P-START; Tecnologia; Empreendedorismo
• Link de acesso: http://hdl.handle.net/1843/50877

This research project investigated and supported part of the creation process of an academic spin-off whom offers a solution consisting in a in loco water treatment system for remote locations. The lack of access to clean water is a problem faced by approximately 1/3 of the world’s population. In fact, universal and equitable access to drinking water it is one of the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. This project aims to contribute on this front by assisting a spin-off developing a product capable of providing clean water. In addition, this project also aims to address the scarcity of papers focused on the illustration and the support of technological entrepreneurship in real situation, at service/product and business/firm levels. An action-research approach was carried throughout the execution of a processual framework, designed to assist the selected spin-off, based on the P-START model for the creation of technology-based startups. The obtained results include (i) the collective understanding that the market (and social) problem identified is relevant for a significant number of potential customers, (ii) the execution of a proof of concept with a minimum viable product and (iii) strategic planning considerations for the development of the spin-off. Furthermore, considerations regarding the further development of the studied spin-off were proposed throughout the forthcoming stages of the P-START model. They were based on the perspectives of hard science and technology social ventures, given the spin-off context. Thus, this project was able to aid a real academic spin-off during part of its creation process, taking into account its particularities, and drawing methodological and practical implications from it.