Forge Series Presents:
Making What Matters — with Evidence
A full-day immersive workshop for aspiring founders of color. Learn how to validate your idea, design what truly matters, and test it before you launch — all in one day.
Why the Forge Series?
Too many entrepreneurs build the wrong thing — too fast, too confidently, and too alone.
Forge Series is a bold response to that problem. It's a workshop hub designed for Black and Brown entrepreneurs, giving you the tools, mindset, and process to build businesses that are validated, intentional, and impactful.
This first workshop introduces you to the Forge Framework — a 3-step system that walks you through discovery, design, and testing with validate. In just one day, you’ll learn how to stop building on assumptions and start building what matters — with evidence.
Workshop Focus:
All Three Core Phases in One Day
1. Needs Identification & Evidence-Based Consumer Discovery
Learn how to ask the right questions, conduct live interviews, and make customers co-designers.
2. Design Specification & MVP
Turn your discovery insights into a functional blueprint. Prioritize core features, cut the fluff, and define a simple, testable version of your solution.
3. Verification, Validation & Failure Modes
Test your assumptions and explore early ways to validate your concept. What does real-world traction look like — and how will you measure it?
You’ll walk away with a full Discovery Deck, a customer persona map, a draft MVP spec, and a lean validation plan.
Workshop Schedule
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:00 AM | Registration, Coffee & Check-In |
| 9:00 – 10:00 | Session 1: Needs Discovery & Interview Mapping |
| 11:00 – 12:00 | Session 2: Design Specs + MVP Feature Prioritization |
| 1:00 – 2:00 | Session 3: Validation Paths & Early Testing Ideas |
| 3:00 – 4:00 | Group Presentations + Peer Feedback |
| 4:00 – 5:00 | Reflections, Surveys, and Certificate Handout |
Meet the Speakers
Main Speaker
Solomon Arko Mensah, Ph.D.
Founder & CEO, Therapeutic Innovations, Inc.
Speaker Topic: Needs Identification & Evidence-Based Customer Discovery
Dr. Solomon Arko Mensah is a biomedical innovator and entrepreneurial leader driving global impact through science. As Founder and CEO of Therapeutic Innovations, Inc., he is at the forefront of creating groundbreaking health technologies that improve lives in underserved communities. Dr. Mensah earned his Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where his research focused on engineering tools for regenerative medicine and therapeutic delivery.
With a passion for advancing equitable health outcomes and entrepreneurship among communities of color, Dr. Mensah is a sought-after speaker and mentor. His work spans academic innovation, product development, and translational science. Through The Forge Series, he equips emerging founders with frameworks to uncover what truly matters to customers — before building a product.
“Build with intention. Test with humility. Launch with proof.”
What you'll get
- Full-day immersive training across all 3 phases
- Live coaching + small group peer support
- Printed workbook, templates, and discovery maps
- Lunch, light breakfast, and afternoon refreshments
- Certificate of participation
- Access to the Forge Circle: a post-workshop founder group
is this for you?
You're a perfect fit if you:
Have an idea but haven’t validated it with real people
Are building your first business and want structure
Launched something before and it flopped
Need tools that are simple, actionable, and proven
Want to build with people like you, not despite being you
Contact Us
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a finished business idea to attend?
No. You need a problem you care about solving. We’ll help you shape the rest.
Is this just for people of color?
Is this refundable?
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