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About the Program

The Forge helps students turn ideas into validated concepts through rapid experimentation and customer discovery — before investing significant time and resources into a full venture.

Open to all students at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, this three-credit-hour course replaces traditional lectures with milestone-based check-ins focused on real progress, real feedback and real results. No prerequisites required.

How It Works

Students validate ideas using Design Thinking and Lean Startup through three stages:

  1. Empathize & Define

    Understand the customer’s problem through interviews, journey mapping and hypothesis testing.

  2. Ideate & Validate

    Develop and test solutions using prototypes, validation tools and customer feedback.

  3. Build & Test

    Create a minimum viable product, gather real-world feedback and present final results.

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Phases

16 Weeks. One Journey. From Problem to Proof.

Phase I: Deep Dive Discovery

  • Length: Weeks 2–4
  • Task: Identify the right problem through research, interviews and market analysis.
  • Outcome: A clear, evidence-backed problem.

Phase II: Ignite Innovative Ideas

  • Length: Weeks 5–8
  • Task: Generate and refine solutions through customer validation.
  • Outcome: A focused, validated concept.

Phase III: Product · Prove · Perform

  • Length: Weeks 9–13
  • Task: Build, test and improve a minimum viable product with real users.
  • Outcome: A validated, performance-ready solution.

What You Gain

  • 3 credit hours
  • Hands-on startup experience
  • Real customer validation
  • A concept built for the real world
  • Opportunity to participate in the Forge Forward Competiton
  • Opportunity for UAH College of Business students to be selected for the Blue Summit Accelerator 

Questions?

Contact: Valentina.Iscaro@uah.edu | 256.824.6025