In exchange for a small amount of equity, we invest by committing to you, inviting you into our community, connecting you with our network of clients and thought leaders, and collaborating side by side with you to build a transformational organization and launch a new concept into the world.
Since 2012 we’ve brought 7 companies into IDEO through residencies: Food Genius, Bondsy, Dabble, Melon, PillPack, Mural.ly, & Osper.
You’re an inspiring seed-stage startup with a full-time, multidisciplinary team (equal parts design, business and tech). With a rough, looks-like, acts-like prototype of your idea or have achieved meaningful milestones. We’re more interested in early stage concepts and potential for impact than detailed business plans. Great partners aren’t focused on raising a round or building their team, they need to be focused on the discovery phase of building their business and getting to product-market fit.
You like to ask tough questions. You’re focused on discovering your way to solutions, even if it means moving in a new direction.
You care about putting people first and have uncovered a true human-centered insight.
You’ve got a different POV, something special and the capabilities to back it up.
You’re comfortable being wrong. You’re looking to learn, not prove yourself.
You like to roll up your sleeves, build stuff, and be resourceful.
And for this particular residency we’re looking for partners who are deeply committed to improving people’s wellbeing and driving outcomes in health care.
You are focused on building solutions that ultimately empower people to live healthier lives, connect to communities of care, turn data into action, and make everyday wellness easy, accessible, and achievable.
Staying well Offerings that focus on proactive, holistic wellness (both mental & physical), prevention and early detection.
Connected networks Services that empower patients, peers, families, and care provider communities.
Continuity of care Tools that enable better ongoing provider relationships and empower patients to self manage chronic disease.
Aging well Services Services for maintaining independence and thriving in old age.
It means time to develop your offer with the help of a team of world-class designers in a highly collaborative, experimental, and hands-on studio environment. We’ll teach you our design-thinking process. You’ll learn how to better understand and connect with your customers, how to prototype, and how to “pivot with purpose.”.
Being hosted in our studio includes access to our space, regular content shares during lunch, ideation sessions, fuel via our studio pantry an and an open invitation to all our studio’s cultural events.
You will have a team to work with you as equal partners. They will collaborate with you on user research, ideation, prototyping, and design efforts. They will be your primary mentors, guides, and teammates for the three months.
You will have access to our 600+ designers, mentors, leaders, advisors, and experts across our eleven offices.
From MNCs and VCs to governments, foundations, and our clients, we’ll make select introductions that will be most valuable to you.
Once you’re in, you’re part of IDEO for the long haul. We’ll support you with ongoing mentoring, designers in residence, and membership in a highly exclusive network of alumni.
Best of all, you’ll learn how design thinking can define your offer and create a foundation for a successful future business. But don’t take our word for it.
Here’s what Justin Massa, CEO of Food Genius and graduate of our first Startup-in-Residence program, has to say about the experience:
“When we first met IDEO, we expected them to solve our design issues. What we learned during our residency, however, was how to use human-centered design thinking to become a customer-centered company and sustainably solve our business problems. The experience was life changing.”
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who are the core members of your team? Who are your mentors? Describe each person in 140 characters or less. Be creative.
Describe your offer. In 50 words or less: What’s your offer? What problem are you solving and how are you solving it? Why are you doing this? What impact do you want to have?
Show us your stuff. Send along a short video, prototype, demo, or scenarios – anything that makes your startup offer tangible. We’re designers. We like visuals. Send your words and pictures to...[email protected]
We’ll hold short Skype interviews with a smaller selection of candidates.
Select finalists will be invited to pitch to the whole studio by the first week in December.
One team will receive a formal invitation to be our next Startup-in-Residence.