One thing about being planted in New England is that collaboration between regional innovation leaders feels natural and authentic. These connections form in so many ways, and today we are excited to announce a new collaboration with The Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship in Cambridge, MA. For Vermont’s founders, this is first and foremost about gaining a stronger on-ramp into MIT’s Disciplined Entrepreneurship (DE) approach — and deepening the connective tissue between Vermont and the MIT/Boston innovation ecosystem.
MIT’s Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework (created by Bill Aulet, Managing Director of the Martin Trust Center) is a rigorous, step-by-step methodology used around the world — and it’s freely available. Orbit’s AI JetPacks build on that foundation (and also incorporate MIT Sloan lecturer Paul Cheek’s 15 Startup Tactics playbook) to help founders move faster, with less friction, while still staying anchored in proven entrepreneurial methods.
As part of our collaboration, Vermont founders will also gain access to the pilot of Orbit, an AI-based startup planning and strategy tool, that is specifically tuned for entrepreneurs.
The Martin Trust Center’s Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework combined with Orbit’s AI JetPacks are a genuine game-changer and comprehensive on-ramp into the entrepreneurial world by removing much of the friction that typically slows early-stage ventures down. Together, JetPacks function like an always-available research team. For a new founder still finding their footing, the ability to cover that kind of structured, instant output — covering everything from beachhead market selection and customer segmentation to pricing models and TAM estimates — compresses weeks of early-stage research into minutes, and helps ensure they’re building on a rigorous, proven methodology from day one.
“I found the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework and Orbit useful for ‘gaming out’ the business quickly. The turnaround was fast, inputs were easy to revise, and many outputs aligned with my independent research, which helped validate assumptions,” said Brian Marrier, founder of Abgentic.
JetPack outputs are helpful as “first drafts” for following MIT’s Disciplined Entrepreneurship frameworks, which accelerate more brainstorming and the planning of next steps. Seasoned founders can use it to quickly surface alternative market angles, stress-test go-to-market assumptions, or explore whether a different customer segment might yield better unit economics.
Ann Pettyjohn, a serial entrepreneur and co-owner of Green Mountain Software Works states that “It’s like having a 20-person marketing staff at my disposal.”
Following five months of use with a segment of VCET’s business advisory clients, we are thrilled to share access to MIT’s Disciplined Entrepreneurship frameworks and our pilot of the Orbit platform with more Vermonters. This is a no-cost, referral-based resource serving mostly all business sectors.
If interested in using it, reach out. We got you.
-Geoff
