Customer Discovery Crash Course

Earn while you learn
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HYBRID · 3-SESSION CRASH COURSE

Find the problem. Find the customer. Build the right business.

A practical course for early-stage business owners ready to validate their idea with real customers, using the Business Model Canvas to develop a minimum viable product and test what actually works.


Presented by the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator at Binghamton University, in partnership with NENY and SUNY Broome.

FREE TO PARTICIPATE

Earn While You Learn

$1,000

Seed funding awarded on completion
Choose one 3-week course

June: Tuesdays, 2, 9, and 16
August: Wednesdays, 5, 12, and 19
October: Thursdays, 8, 15, and 22

Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Format: In-person

Location: Koffman Incubator - 120 Hawley St

RESERVE YOUR SPOT

The Premise

Necessity and consistency of your business or service
is what will keep customers coming back.

01 / Who it's for

For early-stage business owners with an idea worth testing.

You have an idea, or a business that isn't moving the way you hoped.

You're not sure whether the issue is your pricing, your product, or whether the people you're selling to actually want it.

This course gives you a method to find out by going to your customers and listening, not guessing.

No prior business experience needed.

02 / What you'll learn

Six skills that separate real businesses from wishful thinking.

  1. Identify your target customer

  2. Conduct effective customer interviews

  3. Validate problems before building solutions

  4. Analyze market needs

  5. Test assumptions before you invest

  6. Use feedback to improve your product or service

03 / What's included

Everything you need to finish.

This isn't a lecture series. It's a working program with coaching, materials, and seed funding designed to make completion worth your time.

  • $1,000 Seed Funding

    Awarded on completion to implement your next growth strategy.

  • 1:1 Meetings

    Personalized sessions with your instructor.

  • Business Model Canvas

    The framework used to map and validate your business.

  • Peer Networking

    Build with other Binghamton entrepreneurs in your cohort.

  • Pitch Guidance

    Learn to communicate your idea clearly.

  • Koffman Resources

    Access the incubator network for ongoing support.

04 / The course

Three sessions. One customer.

SESSION 01

Foundations

  • Why businesses fail without customer discovery

  • Identifying the right customer

  • Building a real customer profile

SESSION 02

Listening

  • Understanding customer pain points

  • The art of the customer interview

  • Live interview practice

SESSION 03

Validation

  • Market validation and competitor discovery

  • Testing assumptions with low-cost experiments

  • Action plan and 2-minute pitch

FORMAT & LOCATION

Must join in-person

Koffman Southern Tier Incubator · 120 Hawley St, Binghamton, NY

Reserve your spot

Customer Discovery Crash Course Application 2026

Ready to apply?
Spots fill fast.

The Customer Discovery Crash Course is a free 3-session hybrid program for early-stage business owners who want to test their ideas with real customers before scaling.

No experience necessary. Applications are open on a rolling basis.

Those who complete all three sessions may be eligible for $1,000 in seed funding. Participants must attend all sessions to be eligible. All funding and disclosed amounts are subject to availability and are grant-based. Amounts are subject to change at the organization's discretion. No funding is guaranteed.

Instruction offered by Entrepreneur Assistance Center (EAC) Instructor

OFFERED BY / PARTNERS