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Here are the slides used in the breakout rooms.

Session 3: Concept Development & Validation
and Demo Day Readiness

Facilitated by Holly Burrow (EQALL), with guest speakers Sherrod Davis and Patrick Davis.

Session Structure & Focus

This session introduced a new program structure, emphasizing more real-time, hands-on work and peer learning.

Participants were asked to have their innovation roadmaps open, as the majority of the session was spent in breakout rooms working collaboratively on these documents.
The session highlighted the importance of being present and engaged, with cameras on, due to the limited frequency of meetings (once per month).

Key Updates

Facilitation: Holly Burrow is now the primary facilitator, as Juli is taking time off for family reasons.

Roles Clarified:
  • Maura is responsible for evaluations and solution readiness interviews (to be completed by December 30). Tab and Taylor provide operations support. Innovation Allies and subject matter experts offer ongoing program support.
  • Innovation Allies: These are accountability partners who guide participants through the program, help address barriers, and maintain support between sessions.

Program Changes

  • Subject matter experts will now share insights via pre-recorded podcasts, allowing participants to consume content on their own schedule.
  • Live sessions will focus on working together in real time, maximizing peer learning and sharing.

Demo Day Preparation

  • Demo Day is scheduled for March 31 in Washington, D.C., with stipends available for participants.
  • The roadmap document is central to Demo Day preparation; participants must complete sections as assigned, with deadlines typically the Friday before each session.
  • Each organization is expected to complete 10 hours of technical assistance and make three new stakeholder connections.

Breakout Room Activities

  • Participants worked in pre-sorted breakout groups (rotating each session) to foster familiarity with each other's solutions and encourage collaborative problem-solving.
  • Innovation Allies facilitated these groups, helping participants work through their concept briefs and validation plans.

Reflections & Insights

After breakout sessions, participants shared key learnings:

  • The value of testing assumptions with real users and stakeholders.
  • The importance of early validation to avoid costly pivots.
  • Challenges such as the “chicken and egg” problem of needing resources to test solutions.
  • The iterative nature of refining solutions as new challenges emerge.
  • Peer learning was highlighted as especially valuable, with participants expressing appreciation for the collaborative format.

Next Steps

For the next session, participants are expected to:

Move from concept to gathering early evidence.
Document their value proposition, core assumptions, validation test design, and preliminary findings.
Share stakeholder feedback and any pivot scenarios that arise.
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