The Dipalo Ventures Residency is our technical diligence and audit program to identify and mitigate product design and engineering gaps. The Residency Audit (Phase 1) is a valuable gap analysis from which Founders choose topics to solve during Phase 2. The program provides technical evaluations, workshops, mentorship, and specific design and engineering support. It includes access to domestic contract manufacturing options, cost analysis, and assistance refining the startup’s go-to-market, financial planning, and fundraising strategies.

We offer pre- and post-investment Residencies executed via our strategic partner firms like MP Consulting, Centrepolis Accelerator, Further Faster Design, and Infolytx.

Examples of Residency outputs:
Experience Based Roadmap
UX Heuristics
Product Requirements
Engineering reviews of Industrial, Mechanical, Electrical, and Firmware
Bill of Materials (BOM)
Contract Manufacturing
Data Science
Business Plan, Financial Plan
Go To Market
Fundraising Strategy
Internationalization

Overview

Vumo (Car Scanner) uses a robotized computer vision system enabled by machine learning to automate car inspection and documentation.

Solution

The Residency program was kicked off in April 2021 to deliver a range of outputs that would improve the overall effect and optimize the user validation, product requirements, and plans for their Gen 2 product. The program aimed to enhance the process of detecting and documenting automotive damage, making it more efficient and accurate for car manufacturers and consumers. These outputs included: updates to the customer experience journey map, product requirements documents, certification plans, and a comprehensive production roadmap.

“You are the only investors who perfectly know the right questions to ask. For example, where are the huge potential risks for delivery fulfillment.”

Slawek Potasz, CEO & Founder of Vumo(Car Scanner).

Overview

WasteWizer produces internet-connected scales that monitor trash containers’ weight so they can be picked up at the optimal time.

Solution

The Residency program was kicked off in December 2022 to adapt WasteWizer’s designs for larger production runs, plan assembly fixtures, and create design suggestions to ease tool shops. The program aimed to improve the efficiency and overall functionality of the product, making them more suitable for larger production runs and ensuring that they meet industry standards for durability and performance. Testing procedures were completed and delivered to WasteWizer, including a calibration press plan and destructive durability tests that met IPXX requirements.

Solution

MP Consulting worked with Pluie over seven months to complete the first 100 production units of UVC and non-UVC cleansed changing stations. They also reduced the cleansing time from 10 mins to 1 minute, controlled COGS, and managed the supply chain.

“I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Working with DipaloVentures helped me formulate a better plan. It showed gaps in our engineering design, supply chain, and overall time to market that we needed to solve asap.” – Adia Gundry, CEO of Pluie.