How do you know there’s actually a market for your new product? How do you get from an idea to an actual physical prototype? These are some of the most common questions we hear from aspiring hardware entrepreneurs. Join industry experts Dan Falkenstrom, Operations Director at Tech Valley Center of Gravity; Diane Borghoff, Senior Consultant at IgniteU; and the team from Fun Stuff Design, a Troy-based industrial design studio, for this introductory workshop as they answer these questions and more.

How do you know there’s actually a market for your new product? Join this free workshop, hosted by industry experts Dan Falkenstrom, Director of Tech Valley Center of Gravity, and Dianne Borghoff, Senior Consultant at IgniteU, to learn more about customer discovery tools for entrepreneurs developing physical products. They will share cover market research basics, tips and tricks, and low-barrier prototyping tools to get you collecting data faster. You’ll also hear real-world examples from special guests Fun Stuff Designs, a professional industrial design studio, on how prototyping is used to determine final product specifications.

Learn more and register for the event here.

Hosted by Tech Valley Center of Gravity and IgniteU.

Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a makerspace & incubator that empowers makers to connect, collaborate, and create. Their fabrication shop is ideal for individuals and startups who need access to workspace and prototyping equipment in order to test new ideas and grow their business.

Dan Falkenstrom, Operations Director, has experience as a manufacturing engineer, and helps connect manufacturing startups with resources to overcome their roadblocks.

Ignite U, powered by NYSTEC, is a nonprofit dedicated to the sustainable development of New York by building specialized programming designed to support the economic and educational initiatives of New York State.

Diane Borghoff is a professional in assessing numerous early-stage products, services, processes, and techniques in various domains. Her career spans more than 15 years with expertise building business cases, marketing plans, mentoring Lean LaunchPad techniques and go-to-market strategies. These range from ideating creative, disruptive solutions and navigating intellectual property needs to shape their advancement into the marketplace.

Fun Stuff Design, led by Julian Goldman and Dierdre Shea, is a Troy-based industrial design studio. Their focus is on biomaterials and objects that endure, with experience in sustainable supply chain, product strategy, and product development.

When
September 18th, 2025 from  9:00 AM to 12:00 PM