MATERIALS / NEW MARKETS
An unseen competitor is not an empty market.
Before discussing a factory, ask what customers already use—and what would make them change.
RESEARCH QUESTION / THOUGHT EXPERIMENT
A gap in our knowledge is not necessarily a gap in the market.
THE TENSION
A material can look compelling in a research deck: a promising application, a new region, room to grow. But an apparent gap may be a gap in the research. Existing products, installation habits and purchasing relationships are easy to miss from a distance.
LOOK CLOSER
Start at the point of use. What does the installed solution cost? Who specifies it? What would a contractor need to learn? Could a limited trial using existing supply answer the first questions? Manufacturing becomes a later decision, supported by what the trial actually reveals.
A QUESTION TO KEEP