Evidence note: Results combine end-of-Sprint participant feedback and follow-up reporting. Testimonials are anonymised because public attribution permission was not consistently recorded.
The ten Founder Sprints conducted between 2025 and 2026 were She Levelled Up’s proof of concept. We used real engagements across Africa and the Middle East to test a central hypothesis: founders needed more than advice—they needed an evidence-led partner capable of turning uncertainty into validated decisions and practical execution.
The hypothesis
We believed early-stage founders did not lack ambition or ideas. They lacked a disciplined way to identify the most important problem, understand the customer, test the business model and translate strategic thinking into a realistic sequence of actions. The Sprints were designed to test whether that problem was sufficiently real, recurring and valuable enough to support the creation of SLU.
Our approach
Define the customer, sharpen the value proposition and identify the problem worth solving.
Use Business Model Canvas thinking to expose assumptions across value, delivery, partners, revenue and cost.
Turn assumptions into questions, customer evidence and manageable tests before committing further resources.
Translate insight into SMART priorities, KPIs, go-to-market actions and a practical next-step playbook.
In the founders’ words
“The session was eye-opening. The facilitator helped break down our goals into smaller, manageable pieces.”
Sprint participant
“Very fruitful and game changing.”
Sprint participant
“I was blank on what to do next as a co-founder, but after the session I gained direction and confidence to continue with the business.”
Sprint participant
“I came in overwhelmed. I left with direction.”
Sprint participant
What the proof of concept validated
The Sprints demonstrated recurring demand for structured research, business-model validation, innovation strategy and execution support. Participants reported clearer strategic decisions and stronger confidence in what to do next. Just as importantly, the work validated SLU’s operating principle: understanding and evidence must come before technology, investment or scale.
The proof of concept gave us direct market evidence to formalise She Levelled Up as a Research, Innovation & Technology Partner—not from assumption, but from repeated founder problems, tested delivery and measurable participant feedback.
The SLU method in practice
The Sprint applied the identify, research, design and validate stages of the SLU Innovation System. Design thinking kept the founder close to the customer; Business Model Canvas mapping made commercial assumptions visible; data and participant feedback informed priorities, KPIs and next actions.
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