You Don't Have to Build Alone
Why Smart Founders Tap TBED Programs
I recently had my assumptions challenged in the best possible way.
Working with a student venture coach at MSU's Launchpad on a logo redesign, I was reminded of something I know intellectually but sometimes forget in practice: I don't need to do everything myself. Watching this designer's methodical approach—their focus on understanding not just what we wanted visually, but why we may need a brand change—was both humbling and liberating.
Their questions I didn't think to ask. Their fresh perspective. Their skill at their craft. That's what transformed a project I was struggling with into something genuinely effective.
The Founder's Trap
If you're an early-stage tech founder, you're probably exceptional at something. OK, you're definitely exceptional at something! Maybe it's the technical innovation. Maybe it's understanding your customer's pain point better than anyone else. Maybe it's your ability to see the direction your industry is taking before others.
Here's what I see founders struggle with constantly: believing that expertise in one area means you should go it alone in all areas.
You're building a spacecraft, but you're trying to also mine the metals, refine the fuel, and train yourself as an astronaut.
What TBED Programs Actually Do
Technology-Based Economic Development (TBED) programs exist specifically to fill the gaps you don't even know you have. Programs like the Montana Technology Innovation Partnership aren't just another resource—we're your co-pilot for the parts of the journey where you shouldn't be flying solo.
Here's what we bring to the table:
Strategic Positioning: We've seen hundreds of startups. We know what works, what fails, and more importantly, what your blind spots probably are based on your stage and sector.
SBIR/STTR Navigation: Federal funding is transformational for tech startups, but the application process is its own discipline. We don't just help you prepare your proposals we help you build a funding strategy that aligns with your technical roadmap and market validation plan.
Network Access: That connection you need with a potential customer, technical expert, or investor? We've probably worked with them or know someone who has.
Methodical Expertise: Just like that designer who asked me questions that reframed my entire approach, we bring structured methodologies to commercialization challenges. We've developed processes because we've seen what works across dozens of ventures.
The SBIR Success Pattern
Let me be specific about SBIR/STTR success, because this is where I see the biggest missed opportunities:
The companies that win federal funding aren't just those with the best technology. They're the ones who:
- Understand how to translate technical innovation into government priorities
- Know how to de-risk their proposal through strategic partnerships
- Can articulate both the commercial potential AND the public benefit
- Have thought beyond Phase II to commercialization before they submit Phase I
The Redesign Moment
My logo redesign experience was a microcosm of what every founder journey should include: recognizing when to bring in people whose expertise complements yours.
That student venture coach isn't just making our logo look better (stay tuned for the reveal of this new logo next month). They:
- Asked questions that clarified our own thinking
- Brought disciplined process to something I was approaching haphazardly
- Delivered an outcome I genuinely couldn't have achieved alone
- Made the entire experience less stressful because I wasn't carrying it solo
This is exactly what working with a TBED program should feel like.
Your Move
If you're a tech founder in Montana (or beyond—many TBED programs work regionally), ask yourself:
- Are you spending time on challenges outside your core expertise that someone else has already solved 50 times?
- Is your SBIR strategy a real strategy, or just "let's apply and see what happens"?
- Do you have experienced advisors who've built the specific bridges you're trying to cross?
Being humble enough to pull in experts isn't a weakness. It's precisely what separates successful founders from exhausted ones.
We don't expect you to do this alone. That's literally why programs like ours exist. The Montana Technology Innovation Partnership works with early-stage tech ventures on SBIR/STTR and similar federal funding success, market and commercialization strategies, and building the connections that accelerate growth. If you're building something that matters and want to talk about whether we can help, let's connect.
