Validation Stage: The Beginning of the Poplabs Journey
The validation phase of Poplabs is the first stage in an exciting journey with our creative business founders. We selected 12 teams—a mix of solo founders and pairs—to join us for four jam-packed days of learning and connecting over two weeks, completely virtually.
So, what’s validation? It’s a fast-paced pressure test for founders and their creative business ideas. We ask, what impact does the business create, and how? In what way does it champion storytelling? Is the idea scalable?
Where ideas evolve and change, it’s people that bring ideas to life. That’s why the validation stage is just as much about us backing the founders and getting to know them—to understand what their mission and purpose is, and why they’re coming on the Poplabs ride with us.
And it’s about the founders getting to know one another too, connecting with peers, sharing knowledge and building a community of creative entrepreneurs who are all about changing the storytelling industries for the better.
From climate change to gender equity, LGBTIQA+ and cultural representation, accessibility, mental health and food, and beyond, all teams were driven by a strong commitment to creating impact. Founders joined us from four states and territories around Australia, in both major cities and regional centres.
“It’s challenging but also fun because I’m constantly raising questions to myself that I haven’t thought about before. Working through my why and my purpose has been super rewarding.” - Dilpreet Kaur Taggar
With Zoom as our home base, our amazing line-up of partners led the cohort through sessions designed to inspire and get founders thinking about their creative businesses in new ways. Mark Yettica-Paulson and Maryann Talia Pau of Super Native Unlimited explored an intercultural framework with a First Nations lens. Richard Cawsey of Denali Venture Partners walked the cohort through 3Clouds, a framework to help align business ventures with purpose. And Manita Ray of Capital Human helped them to crystalise the impact they want to create and reflect on how this desire for change drives them as founders.
Image description: Images of the Poplabs team and participants in their homes on day 1 of validation.
At Poplabs, we want to ensure the virtual experience is one that still fosters real connections and a strong sense of community. Our Slack channel has become a lively space for sharing and connecting, and we asked the cohort to submit reflection videos after each day so we could listen to their feedback, be agile and iterate and improve Poplabs, with our community’s needs and wants at the core.
“I’ve had the best time the last two weeks, it’s been amazing. Cross-pollinating and sharing ideas, getting to know everyone, that’s been the real value. I'm beginning to suspect Poplabs might be the best decision I've yet made for my professional career.” - Cadance Bell
Every team in validation was incredible and so aligned, which made selecting teams for the next stage of Poplabs really difficult. In the end, we nominated six teams to take through to incubation, our nine-week sprint where founders gain the skills, confidence and connections to build successful creative businesses.
And although 12 teams are now six, everyone remains part of a growing ecosystem of change makers who share our vision for a more inclusive, sustainable storytelling industry.
We’re now in the first weeks of incubation and the teams are going strong. We can’t wait to see our founders and their ideas develop. Stay tuned—this is just the beginning!
