Truth Before Traction: Dr. Shiva Kiran’s Startup Guide to Validating Real Problems

In the fast-moving startup ecosystem, founders are often tempted to rush into building solutions. However, as emphasized at the SPARKLAB workshop, innovation doesn’t begin with solutions—it begins with understanding real problems.

Dr. Shiva Kiran, Assistant Professor at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning and core member of the SPARKLAB Innovation Council, led an insightful session on problem validation—a vital yet frequently overlooked step in the entrepreneurial journey. His session offered a structured approach to asking the right questions before designing the right answers.

Start with a Truth-Seeking Mindset

According to Dr. Shiva Kiran, many startups fail not due to poor execution, but because they efficiently build the wrong solution. His key message: founders should embrace a truth-seeking mindset—one that prioritizes discovery over assumption.

This mindset requires:

• Deep listening
• Testing assumptions
• Being open to being wrong

Rather than solving what seems obvious, great founders go deeper to uncover what truly matters to their potential users. It’s not about falling in love with your idea, but about falling in love with the problem.

Move Beyond Personal Bias: Center the People

Many founders start with a personal pain point. While this passion is a great driver, Dr. Shiva Kiran warns against assuming that others feel the same. Passion is not a substitute for validation.

To validate a problem:

• Study how people deal with the issue today.
• Understand if they are trying to solve it—or just adapting.
• Assess how severe or frustrating it truly is for them.
• Examine whether they would pay for a better solution.

This transition from personal intuition to collective insight is essential. Real validation happens when users confirm the need, not just your gut.

Crafting a Strong Problem Statement

A well-defined problem statement guides every other aspect of your startup. Dr. Shiva Kiran recommends structuring it around:

• Who is facing the problem
• Where/When the problem arises
• Why current alternatives don’t work

This user-focused lens leads to clearer communication with your team, users, and investors.

Crafting a Strong Problem Statement

A well-defined problem statement guides every other aspect of your startup. Dr. Shiva Kiran recommends structuring it around:

• Who is facing the problem
• Where/When the problem arises
• Why current alternatives don’t work

This user-focused lens leads to clearer communication with your team, users, and investors.

Two extra filters:

• Frequency – How often does the problem occur?
• Severity – How deeply does it affect the user?

For example, cancer isn’t frequent but is extremely severe—leading to high-value solutions. Common colds are frequent and less severe, but large-scale demand makes it a billion-dollar industry.

How to Validate a Problem Without Building a Product

You don’t need to build anything to start testing your ideas. Dr. Shiva Kiran shared several low-cost, high-impact validation methods:

1. Break Down the Problem

Large issues (e.g., “the water problem”) must be broken into actionable sub-problems that are solvable at a smaller scale.

2. Capture Anecdotal Evidence

Start with stories or local observations. These aren’t conclusive but help in framing the context.

3. Conduct Interviews

Speak with users and experts. Ask neutral, open-ended questions. Avoid confirmation bias and don’t “lead the witness”.

4. Observe Behavior

Watch how people behave in real settings. For example, how they clean solar panels or manage time in long queues. True insight often lies in what people do, not what they say.

5. Run Behavioral Experiments

Create a fake website or campaign to check if people click, sign up, or show interest in a product that doesn’t exist yet.

6. Do Digital Research

Use platforms like Google Trends, Statista, Tracxn, or IntraC to explore data, industry signals, and existing solutions globally.

These tools allow you to understand the size, urgency, and willingness to pay—all without writing a single line of code.

Understanding the Indian Startup Lens

India’s startup ecosystem is unique, with the government offering a clear definition of what qualifies as a startup. According to Dr. Shiva Kiran, the Indian model expects startups to not only be innovative and scalable but also socially conscious.

Key aspects include:

• Innovation & Technology focus
• Scalability via digital means
• Solving real social or economic issues
• Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

In this model, values are as important as valuation. Whether solving for nutrition, education, or clean cities, Indian startups are expected to serve not just markets—but missions.

Be Wary of Biases and Validate with Grit

Throughout the workshop, Dr. Shiva Kiran emphasized the danger of invisible biases. A simple exercise using Google Translate showed how even language tools can reflect unintended stereotypes.

Key takeaways:

• Don’t design surveys or interviews that force a “yes”.
• Listen more than you talk during interviews.
• Accept “no problem” as a valid outcome.
• Let frustration come naturally—don’t push for it.

Validation is not a box to tick—it’s a continuous effort that demands grit, curiosity, and humility. As Dr. Shiva Kiran said, “The truth of the problem lies not in your mind, but in the market.”

Conclusion: Problem Validation is the First Innovation

At its heart, the workshop encouraged founders to slow down, step back, and dig deeper. Great startups are not just built—they are discovered. And that discovery begins by asking better questions, staying open to tough truths, and being obsessed—not with your idea, but with the real problem your users face.

As SPARKLAB continues to foster innovation grounded in human values, Dr. Shiva Kiran’s session serves as a timely reminder:
👉 Before building solutions, validate the problem. Because truth always comes before traction.