From Idea to Impact: Building a Bridge Between Problem and Proof
What started as an idea to solve a persistent infrastructure problem quickly turned into a hands-on entrepreneurial journey. With the support of the HUBS grant, we—Haseeb Rehman and Christopher “Kiffer” Green—moved from concept to prototype, validating both the market need and our ability to build a viable business.
Our First Real Test as Entrepreneurs
Receiving the grant from HUBS was the first real test we passed, showing us that entrepreneurship was a feasible path. It also provided us with enough support to sustain ourselves, allowing us to work full-time throughout the summer on developing our plans, conducting research, and preparing a solid Research-to-Business project application for Business Finland.
Understanding the Problem and Its Global Scale
The problem we set out to solve was how to effectively protect low-clearance bridges from large vehicles. We entered the HUBS project with a preliminary understanding of the issue, a vision for a solution, and an idea of how we would develop it, as well as an initial view of potential competition. However, it was only after we conducted thorough preliminary market research that we truly understood how massive the global demand is for a proven solution.
To better understand the problem at a practical level, Kiffer visited the UK to meet with a Network Rail official, gaining valuable insight from someone who deals with this challenge on a daily basis.
From Demand to Proof of Concept
We quickly realized that demand alone is not enough to attract investment—we also needed to prove that our solution is viable. Kiffer developed mathematical tools to design a functional small-scale prototype of the proposed device. These tools were consistent with a differential simulation developed by Marko Peltomäki, a doctoral researcher at the University.
With this foundation, we designed and built a working prototype for demonstration to Business Finland, which is quite rare at this stage in similar projects.
Telling the Story and Looking Ahead
Recognizing the importance of a strong and compelling pitch, we collaborated with Sofia Samodelkina, a second-year architecture student, to create a comic that illustrates why our product is needed. This storytelling approach proved effective, and our presentation was very well received.
While it is still too early to know whether we will continue advancing the project, we have significantly strengthened our foundation. We now have a clearer understanding of the market, a validated concept, and a stronger team—putting us in a much better position to attract future investment.
Text: Haseeb Rehman & Christopher Green
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