The Ten Year Start up Journey

The problem: 70% of venture tech companies fail at 20 months post funding (source: Cb Insights 2019). 50% because of no market need plus related issues (pricing, business model & competition). Team issues, execution and timing being the majority of the remaining failure points.

The Market-Led Scientific Method


Is a map for entrepreneurs. It is a method I created, that draws on leading thinking, frameworks and practice in creating ideas and turning them into businesses.

It involves iterative process of coming up with good ideas and testing demand. Good ideas involves observation & analysis of macro trends, adjacent possibilities, exaptation, uncovering problems, leveraging networks and considering timing.

Testing those ideas involves data-driven demand tests. The output is investible ideas that have high probabilities of being accepted in the marketplace.


Most start up frameworks used are applications of the Scientific Method. Which involves observation> hypothesis> analysis>testing>concluding.

Most of the ideas used in the Market Led Scientific Method™ are not mine. What I have done, is synthesize them, and applied them at the right time, in the right context, based on experience of founding, leading and supporting start ups and businesses. You can follow the MLSM here: https://leearthur.substack.com/p/the-ten-year-start-up-journey-map

Strategy & Execution.

How to enter a market and scale is the creating and running a business side of the problem once a validated idea is available. Operationally moving through the gears from company formation to resourcing, hiring, deciding on business model and a go-to-market plan are all solvable and iterative work. Strategy & Execution.

Mountains can be climbed, first make sure you are climbing the right one!