The KTH Innovation Readiness Level: How We Use It (and What We Expect)

By Kasper-Tanakrit Sermsuksan · Global Venture I: Playbook, II: Sprint and III: Growth · Cross-course reference

You are here: X-01 · Cross-course reference · first used in Block A (Form A+B), then after every block in Global Venture I, II and III

In short: The KTH Innovation Readiness Level™ (IRL) rates a venture from 1 to 9 across six areas — Customer, Technology, Business model, IPR, Team and Funding — to show how far an idea has moved toward the market. It is an openly licensed model from KTH Innovation. In the Global Venture courses we use it unchanged, as a self-scored benchmark backed by evidence after every block, and each course has a target. It measures progress, not quality. It is never a grade, and never a commercial rating.

"How far along are you?"

Every founder gets that question. From investors, from partners, from their own parents. And almost every founder answers it the same way: with a feeling. "Pretty far." "We have a prototype." "Customers love it."

Feelings are not a measurement.

When I started building courses, I needed a ruler — something students, mentors, universities and funders could all read the same way. I did not want to invent our own. A shared ruler is only useful if other people already use it.

So we use the KTH Innovation Readiness Level, from KTH Innovation in Stockholm. Unchanged. With credit. Below is what it is, how we use it, and exactly what we expect you to show at each stage.

Definition

KTH Innovation Readiness Level™ (IRL) — a model by KTH Innovation that measures progress from idea to market in six readiness levels: Customer (CRL), Technology (TRL), Business Model (BRL), IPR (IPRL), Team (TMRL) and Funding (FRL). Each is scored 1–9. It describes how far you have come, not how good the idea is¹.

Credit line (always shown): Based on the KTH Innovation Readiness Level™ by KTH Innovation, licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (kthinnovationreadinesslevel.com).

What is the Innovation Readiness Level, and what does it measure?

Progress. Not quality.

KTH Innovation describes the model as a snapshot of how far you have come on the road from an idea to a fully implemented innovation on the market. "There is no valuation in being high or low on the scales"¹.

I would put it more simply: a low score is not a bad grade. It is a starting point.

Five principles from KTH's user guide shape how we use it¹:

• It is a snapshot. Score where you are today, with evidence.
• You can go down. Scores often drop when you learn something new about the market. That is progress in understanding.
• The six areas are linked. You do not need the same score everywhere, but a gap of more than two or three steps between areas can hold the venture back.
• A level counts only when all its criteria are met. Partial credit does not move you up.
• The model says what, not how. It defines what you should have achieved at each level. How you get there depends on your venture.

One more habit I love: the KTH user guide suggests describing what level 9 would look like for your idea before scoring¹. Fully on the market, selling, growing, funded. Then you know what the ladder is leaning against.

What are the six areas of the KTH IRL?

KTH lists them in an order that shows how they depend on each other: customer and business model shape the solution; those three shape the IPR strategy; all of them shape the team; and everything shapes the funding you need¹.

• CRL — Customer Readiness Level — Goal (KTH's own words): "confirm customer need and interest" — Main stages (from the user guide): 1–4: understand customers · 5–9: get the solution into customers' hands and sell it
• TRL — Technology Readiness Level — Goal (KTH's own words): "develop and test the technology, product, service, or concept" ("technology" means any solution, including a service) — Main stages (from the user guide): The TRL scale originally developed by NASA, with small modifications by KTH
• BRL — Business Model Readiness Level — Goal (KTH's own words): "establish that the concept can be financially, environmentally, and socially viable and feasible" — Main stages (from the user guide): 1–3: describe · 4–6: calculate and test on assumptions · 7–9: confirm in reality
• IPRL — IPR Readiness Level — Goal (KTH's own words): "clarify the legal and IP situation and secure relevant IP protection" — Main stages (from the user guide): 1–4: identify and assess · 5–9: protect and manage by strategy
• TMRL — Team Readiness Level — Goal (KTH's own words): "secure the right competencies and align the team" — Main stages (from the user guide): 1–4: initial team verifies the idea · 5–6: founding team in place · 7–9: build and scale the organization
• FRL — Funding Readiness Level — Goal (KTH's own words): "secure the necessary funding to take the idea to the market" — Main stages (from the user guide): 1–4: fund validation and development · 5–9: fund the business model to viability

Goals quoted from KTH Innovation's public tour page²; stages from the user guide¹.

What does each level from 1 to 9 look like?

Reading aid only — not the scoring sheet. The table below is SEA Bridge's short, paraphrased guide to help you find your place. It does not change or replace KTH's criteria. For the full criteria in KTH's own words, see the appendix at the end of this article. Always score against the full criteria. The official level sheets and user guide are in the KTH IRL Tool Kit on KTH Innovation's site (log-in required; you can join from the site). There, each level is defined in full³. One short table per area below, so it reads on a phone.

• 1: You believe a need might exist
• 2: Specific needs identified, mostly from desk research
• 3: First direct feedback from the market
• 4: Problem confirmed by several customers or users
• 5: Customers show interest; relationships in place
• 6: Customer tests confirm the benefits
• 7: Extended testing or first test sales
• 8: First commercial sales; sales process in place
• 9: Sales growing widely and repeatably

• 1: Early idea or research result
• 2: Concept and use described
• 3: Critical functions shown to work in the lab
• 4: Validated in the lab
• 5: Validated in a realistic setting
• 6: Prototype shown in a realistic setting
• 7: Prototype shown in real operations
• 8: Complete solution shown in real use
• 9: Proven in real use over time

• 1: Business idea still vague
• 2: Concept, market and competitors outlined
• 3: Draft business model (e.g., canvas), target market, competitive landscape
• 4: First numbers suggest viability; first sustainability check
• 5: Market feedback on key assumptions, such as pricing
• 6: Full model tested on customers and partners (e.g., test sales)
• 7: Validated by commercial sales
• 8: Sales and metrics show the model works
• 9: Proven on profit, growth and sustainability

• 1: You suspect you may have some IPR
• 2: Possible IPR mapped; ownership clear
• 3: Key IPR described; first check of protectability
• 4: Protection confirmed possible; priorities decided
• 5: Draft IPR strategy; first formal filing
• 6: Full IPR strategy; positive response on filings
• 7: Key IPR filed in relevant countries
• 8: IPR strategy fully in use
• 9: IPR granted, maintained and supporting the business

• 1: Usually one person; key skills missing
• 2: A few skills; first idea of who else is needed
• 3: Some needed skills; gaps named; plan to fill them
• 4: A committed champion; several skills in place
• 5: Founding team formed; roles and ownership agreed
• 6: Complete, diverse, committed founding team
• 7: Strong team and culture; plan to grow it
• 8: Professional organization (board, CEO, managers)
• 9: High-performing organization over time

• 1: No clear view yet of first verification activities, funding needs or options
• 2: First verification activities described; funding need and sources for the first milestones defined
• 3: Funding for the first verification plan secured
• 4: Funding for a fuller verification plan secured
• 5: First pitch for funding tested on a relevant audience; near-term funding need and strategy decided
• 6: Improved pitch tested; contacts with external funders started
• 7: Complete pitch and supporting material; first talks with external funders
• 8: Term-sheet-level talks with funders who show clear interest
• 9: At least 6–12 months of operations funded; financial monitoring and forecasting in place

Adapted (paraphrased) by SEA Bridge from the KTH Innovation Readiness Level™ by KTH Innovation, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (kthinnovationreadinesslevel.com). This adaptation is shared under the same license. Short summaries to help you find your place; they do not change or replace the KTH criteria. Source: KTH Innovation (n.d.-b), compiled readiness levels, summary page for each area.

How do you score your venture on the IRL?

1. Picture level 9 first. Write three or four lines: what would your venture look like fully on the market? Keep it where you will see it again.
2. Open the official KTH sheets, not the summary above. Go one area at a time.
3. Start at level 1 and climb. Stop at the first level where you cannot tick every criterion. Your score is the level below it.
4. Attach evidence to every level you claim — an interview note, a canvas, a test result, a signed team agreement, a grant application. No evidence, no level.
5. Note the biggest gap between your highest and lowest area. If it is more than two or three steps, that is your next focus.
6. Record it regularly, with the score and one line on what changed and why. In the Global Venture courses, that happens after every block (see the course note at the end).

Be honest. A lower, true score helps you more than a high guess. Nobody is graded on the number.

Try it in 10 minutes

Write three lines on what level 9 looks like for your idea. Then score one area only — Customer (CRL). Read level 1, then 2, then 3, and stop at the first one you cannot prove with something you could show a stranger. Write that evidence next to your score. That is your first honest data point.

What IRL levels do we expect in Global Venture I, II and III?

Each Global Venture course has a target: the levels most teams should reach by the end. The statements below are SEA Bridge's plain-language reading aid. Always score on the official sheets.

• Customer (CRL) — Global Venture I: Playbook
  End with a validated venture concept: 3–4. You should be able to show first direct feedback from real customers about the problem — not only desk research (3). Stretch: show the problem confirmed by several customers, and name who uses, who pays and who decides (4). — Global Venture II: Sprint
  End with your first real, repeatable dollar — or a confident pivot: 5–6. You should be able to show customers are interested and relationships are in place, and that customer tests confirm the benefits. — Global Venture III: Growth
  End with a venture ready to scale across borders: 7+. You should be able to show test sales or first commercial sales, with a sales process in place.
• Business model (BRL) — Global Venture I: Playbook
  End with a validated venture concept: 3. You should be able to present a draft business model on a canvas, a target market and a competitor map. — Global Venture II: Sprint
  End with your first real, repeatable dollar — or a confident pivot: 5–6. You should be able to show market feedback on key assumptions such as price, and validate the model with a pilot or test sales. — Global Venture III: Growth
  End with a venture ready to scale across borders: 7+. You should be able to show commercial sales and metrics that prove the model works.
• Team (TMRL) — Global Venture I: Playbook
  End with a validated venture concept: 3–4. You should be able to name the skills your team has, the gaps, and a plan to fill them (3). Stretch: show a committed champion and several key skills in place (4). — Global Venture II: Sprint
  End with your first real, repeatable dollar — or a confident pivot: 5–6. You should be able to form a founding team with agreed roles and ownership. — Global Venture III: Growth
  End with a venture ready to scale across borders: 7–9. You should be able to build a strong team and culture, with a plan to grow it.
• Funding (FRL) — Global Venture I: Playbook
  End with a validated venture concept: 2–3. You should be able to describe your first verification activities, estimate what they cost and list possible funding sources (2). Stretch: secure the money for that first verification plan — a small grant, a prize or the team's own money all count (3). — Global Venture II: Sprint
  End with your first real, repeatable dollar — or a confident pivot: 4–5. You should be able to secure funding for a fuller verification plan (4), then test your first pitch for funding on a relevant audience and decide your funding strategy (5). — Global Venture III: Growth
  End with a venture ready to scale across borders: 5+. You should be able to improve and test your pitch, open talks with external funders and, at the top end, prepare for due diligence.
• Technology (TRL): Record only. Score it every block; there is no course target yet.
• IPR (IPRL): Record only. Score it every block; there is no course target yet.
• TED Fund reference stage — Global Venture I: Playbook
  End with a validated venture concept: TED Youth Startup — IDEA (Ideation) — Global Venture II: Sprint
  End with your first real, repeatable dollar — or a confident pivot: TED Youth Startup — POC — Global Venture III: Growth
  End with a venture ready to scale across borders: SfS: Go-to-Market · TED Market Scaling Up (comparison)

Adapted (paraphrased) by SEA Bridge from the KTH Innovation Readiness Level™ by KTH Innovation, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (kthinnovationreadinesslevel.com). This adaptation is shared under the same license. Plain-language statements by SEA Bridge; they do not change or replace the KTH criteria. TED Fund program names as reported in August 2026⁴. TED Fund stages are a readiness reference, not a promise of eligibility or funding. For amounts and rules, see Your First Funding: Grants, Competitions and Where Student Founders Start — programs change every year; check the current call.

How this shows up in the courses:

• Every article ends with a "Your progress" line naming the area and level it supports — for example, "Customer readiness to level 3".
• Every block form ends with your Venture update: tool applied · what changed · evidence link · readiness self-score — plus the form's "AI used for:" field.
• Entry to Global Venture III has three routes: complete Global Venture II, pass a placement interview, or show CRL and BRL at 5 or higher.
• Management Consulting track (Global Consulting I and II, the ASEAN1967 Fellowship) answers a different question and does not use the IRL.

An example (illustrative, not a real team). A few weeks into its customer work, a team has customer interviews that keep confirming the same problem, plus a draft canvas, target market and competitor map. That fits CRL 3 and BRL 3. To reach CRL 4, they still need the problem confirmed by enough customers for their market — KTH gives rough ranges, such as 5–10 in B2B (2–5 if the market is concentrated) and 10–20 in B2C³ — and a clear view of who uses, pays and decides. They have one committed champion, some of the skills they need and a written plan to add a business developer: TMRL 3. With a second key skill in place, they move toward TMRL 4. They have described their first verification activities, priced them and listed grant options, but secured no money yet, so FRL stays at 2.

Why can your IRL score go down?

Because you learned something.

You score CRL 3 after your first customer interviews. Then, a few weeks later, you find out the person you interviewed is not the one who pays. Your "customer feedback" was from users, not buyers.

Your honest CRL drops.

That is not failure. To me, that is the process working. KTH says it plainly: it is common to go both up and down, often several times, as new insights make you re-evaluate how far you have come¹.

One of my 2026 students put it this way in their advice for the next class: more than half of the assumptions they had walked in with turned out to be wrong. On paper, that is exactly what a falling score looks like. In practice, it is the moment the venture starts to get real.

When your score drops, write down what you learned and why. An honest lower score is never penalized.

How is the IRL different from FISHE Capital™ × CSTO™?

They answer different questions, so we keep them apart.

• KTH IRL — Owner: KTH Innovation — Question it answers: How far has this idea moved toward the market? — Scale: Six areas, 1–9 each
• FISHE Capital™ × CSTO™ — Owner: SEA Bridge — Question it answers: What capitals do we have — Financial, Intellectual, Social, Human, Environment — and where are the gaps? — Scale: No score; a diagnostic map

FISHE × CSTO can help explain why an IRL level is low — a Team gap often shows up as a Human Capital gap. But the two never merge into one score. SEA Bridge's own readiness tools are never presented as IRL levels.

What do we NOT do with the KTH IRL?

• We do not change it. No edited levels, no new criteria, no renamed scales, no "SEA Bridge IRL."
• We do not merge it with FISHE Capital™ × CSTO™ or any other SEA Bridge tool.
• We do not sell it. No paid IRL training, IRL consulting or IRL certification. No packaging or selling the model, its documents or tools.
• We do not grade on it. Grades in the Global Venture courses come from evidence and work quality. The IRL shows progress.
• We do not claim endorsement. Using the model does not mean KTH Innovation endorses SEA Bridge or our courses.
• We always credit it, with the credit line and a link to kthinnovationreadinesslevel.com.

Is it free to use the KTH IRL?

The model is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). KTH Innovation's license page lists research and education at higher education institutions, support to students and entrepreneurs in incubators and accelerators, internal innovation and business development, and use in selection for programs and competitions as non-commercial use. It lists packaging and selling the model, selling software that contains it, and selling services to implement it, such as consulting or training, as commercial use, and asks users with unclear cases to contact KTH Innovation⁵.

If you use it for your own venture, go to the official site and use the official version. If you share KTH material, keep the credit, link the license and say if anything was changed.

Appendix: the full KTH IRL criteria, every area and every level

The summary above is my short version. This appendix is the full list of criteria for all six areas and all nine levels, in KTH Innovation's own words, so you can search it and score against the real thing. Find your area and start at level 1. KTH's general rule: you are on a level when you have achieved all the criteria on that level.

Source: KTH Innovation, KTH Innovation Readiness Level™ — compiled level descriptions (2021–2022 version; public copy hosted by Fonds de recherche du Québec: https://frq.gouv.qc.ca/app/uploads/2025/02/kth-innovation-readiness-level_compiled_va.pdf; official Tool Kit: kthinnovationreadinesslevel.com). © KTH Innovation. Licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Wording reproduced without changes; only the layout is new. This appendix is shared under the same license and may not be used commercially. If KTH publishes a newer version, KTH's version wins.

CRL — Customer Readiness Level

CRL 9

• Widespread product deployment, sales to several customers in a repeatable and scalable way (including through partners when relevant)
• Large and substantially growing number of active users (significant customer traction)
• Company focuses on business development, customer acquisition, growth of sales, efforts to build user/customer demand, etc.

CRL 8

• Market ready product/service sold to customers at/near target market price
• Substantial number of active users of market ready product/service (initial customer traction)
• Sales/user acquisition process implemented with dedicated people and support systems (CRM system, etc.)
• Agreements in place with first partners to reach customers (when relevant)

CRL 7

• Customer agreements in place - first sales/test sales of early versions of product/service or customers/users engaged in product/service qualifications or extended testing
• Small number of active users of early versions of product/service
• Discussions initiated with partners to reach customers/users (when relevant)

CRL 6

• Testing of product/service by customers/users has confirmed the customer value and benefits
• Updated sales pitch and value proposition based on customer/user feedback
• Defined first sales/user acquisition process and initiated structured sales activities
• Identified possible partners or key stakeholders relevant to reach customers/users

CRL 5

• Customers/users have expressed interest for the product/service and confirmed that it can solve customers' problems/needs (i.e. initial problem-solution fit)
• Established relationships with potential target customers/users providing input
• Decided which target customers/segments to focus on first
• Defined first sales pitch and value proposition adapted to target customer/segment

CRL 4

• The problem/need and its importance is confirmed from multiple customers or users. Numbers are typically limited but depend on B2B/B2C and market structure (e.g. 5-10 in B2B, if market is concentrated 2-5 market leading customers, in B2C higher e.g. 10-20)
• Customer segmentation with initial basic customer profiles in place
• Identified who the user, paying customer, and decision maker is
• A product/service hypothesis with clear positioning against customer alternatives is defined based on customer/user feedback

CRL 3

• Received feedback from primary market research, i.e. direct contacts with e.g. a few possible users/customers or persons with industry/market knowledge (experts)
• A more developed understanding of possible customers and possible customer segments
• The problem/need hypothesis is clear and updated after customer/user/expert feedback

CRL 2

• Some market research is performed, typically derived from secondary sources
• Brief familiarity with the market, possible customers and their problems/needs, and alternatives
• There is a first reasonably clear description of the problem/need hypothesis

CRL 1

• Thinking (yourself) that a possible need/problem or opportunity might exist in a market
• No clear hypotheses on who customers are, what problems exist, etc. If hypotheses exist they are unclear, speculative, and there is no proof or analysis to support assumptions
• Limited or non-existing knowledge of the market and customers/users

TRL — Technology Readiness Level

Technology = Product/service/method/system/technology/solution etc. The “thing”, or tangible realization of the idea, that you want to develop.

TRL 9

• Complete technology is scalable and proven to work in actual operations by several users over time
• Continuous development, improvement, optimization of technology and production is ongoing

TRL 8

• Complete technology has been proven to work in actual operations by first users
• Complete technology = Complete - contains everything the user needs to use it; Functional - everything works the way it should for the user to solve their problem/need; Compatible - compatible with people, processes, goals, infrastructure, systems, etc. at the user; Producible - possible to produce at a reasonable cost
• Proven to work = meet all performance requirements/specifications
• Actual operations = implemented by end-users on their own in their day-to-day operations

TRL 7

• Prototype near or at the complete technology has been shown to actually work in an operational environment
• Operational environment = environment that addresses all the operational requirements and specifications where the technology will be used by the end-users
• Complete end-user requirements/specifications and/or use cases in place

TRL 6

• Representative model or prototype of the technology has been shown to actually work in a relevant environment
• Representative model = a functional form of the technology, generally reduced in scale, near or at operational specification
• Prototype = the technology in a form that can be used to evaluate the technical and/or manufacturing feasibility or utility of the final product
• Shown to actually work (i.e. demonstration) = meet most of the important performance requirements

TRL 5

• Basic components are integrated and tested in a more realistic form in a relevant environment
• Test results give evidence indicating that the technology will work (i.e. validation)
• Relevant environment = lab or other controlled environment that simulates the most important and most stressing aspects of the operational environment
• More defined end-user requirements/specifications and/or use cases based on feedback from users

TRL 4

• Basic components are integrated and shown to work together and produce desired results in the laboratory environment
• Test results give initial evidence indicating that the technology concept will work (i.e. initial validation)

TRL 3

• Tests in the laboratory environment (analytical and/or experimental) of important parameters/features/functions show that the technology concept could work and be feasible
• Laboratory environment = the environment where technology is typically developed, often not the same environment as where it will be used
• Active R&D is initiated to develop the technology further
• There is a first idea of end-user requirements/specifications and/or use cases

TRL 2

• A potential technology concept is defined and described.
• Practical applications can be defined/researched but are speculative, and no proof or detailed analysis that the technology will work.

TRL 1

• Research results with potential benefits or useful applications identified
• Vague idea of a technology to be developed

BRL — Business Model Readiness Level

Sustainable business model = Revenue ≥ Cost (over time) AND Positive contribution to the environment and society > Negative contribution to the environment and society (over time)

BRL 9

• Sustainable business model is operational and business meets or exceeds internal and external expectations on profit, growth, scalability, and environmental and social impact
• Credible systems and metrics in use to track economic, environmental, social performance
• Historic data on economic, environmental, and social performance proves viable business which is profitable and sustainable over time

BRL 8

• Sales and other metrics from initial business operations (1-3 years) show sustainable business model holds and can meet internal and external expectations on profit, scalability, and environmental and social impact
• Sales channels and supply chain (aligned with your sustainability expectations) are in place and operational
• Business model is set but is fine-tuned to improve revenue/cost and leverage sustainability

BRL 7

• First sales/revenue on commercial terms demonstrate willingness to pay from significant number of customers
• Complete financial projections validated by first sales/revenue and data
• Agreements in place with key suppliers, partners, channel partners etc. (aligned with your sustainability expectations) to execute your business model

BRL 6

• Complete sustainable business model (cost side and revenue side), including key measures to increase positive and decrease negative environmental and social contribution, is tested in one/a few realistic business scenarios (test sale, pre-order, pilot, tender, etc.)
• Complete financial projections based on feedback from realistic business case show economic viability

BRL 5

• Received feedback on revenue side of business model (e.g. revenue model, pricing, etc.) from a few potential customers or persons with market knowledge (experts)
• Received feedback on cost side of business model (e.g. production, supply chain, etc.) from a few external partners/suppliers/experts
• Key measures to increase positive and decrease negative environmental and social contribution specified in business model (see KTH IRL user guide)
• Updated P&L projection based on market feedback indicates economic viability
• Target market description (target segment(s), TAM, SAM, SOM, and competitive analysis) updated based on market feedback

BRL 4

• First version of simplified P&L projections for proposed business model (main costs, main revenue streams) indicate economic viability (based on own assumptions and guesstimates)
• Initial assessment of positive vs negative contribution indicates environmental and social sustainability, based on own assumptions and guesstimates (see KTH IRL user guide)

BRL 3

• Description of a proposed business model in place (e.g. in canvas format)
• Description of relevant factors in the business model causing positive and negative contribution to environment and society (see KTH IRL user guide)
• Defined target market(s) and estimates of market size (TAM, SAM)
• Defined competition and identified relevant input from competitive landscape on your business model (competitors' positioning, business models, prices, etc.)

BRL 2

• Described the proposed business concept and value proposition in some structured form
• Brief familiarity with market size, segments, and competitive landscape (listed some competitors/alternatives) – typically derived from secondary sources

BRL 1

• Non-existing or vague and unspecific description of the potential business idea, value proposition or business model
• Little insight into the market and its potential/size-hypothesizing on possible applications
• Little knowledge or insight into competition and alternative solutions

IPRL — IPR Readiness Level

IPR = Intellectual Property Rights = Patents, trademarks, design rights, copyright, database rights, trade secrets, digital registrations (domain names, account names, etc.), company name, etc. (see examples in the tool ”IPR list”)

IPRL 9

• IPR strategy is proven to support and create value for business
• Key and complementary IPR is granted and maintained in several countries relevant for business
• Agreements in place to access all necessary external IPR

IPRL 8

• IPR strategy is fully implemented. IPR is proactively used to support/protect business, IPR related agreements are professionally managed, process for securing new IPR in place
• Key IPR is granted in first country/region with relevant scope for business
• Filed complementary or additional IPR application(s)/registration(s)

IPRL 7

• Entered into national/regional phase (US, EU, JP etc.) with key IPR application/registration
• More complete assessment of freedom-to-operate and clear understanding of dependency on/restriction by other IPR

IPRL 6

• Complete IPR strategy elaborated (validated by professional) that supports business strategy
• Identified possible complementary/additional IPR to protect
• Initial assessment of freedom-to-operate with the purpose to understand the IPR landscape in the field (who is active, what key IPR) and if you could be dependent on/stopped by other IPR
• Positive response on applications from authorities, and analysis of response performed
• If no positive response: analysis performed together with professional with good prospects

IPRL 5

• Draft IPR strategy in place - first analysis and plan (preferably by professional) on how different IPR can be used to protect and be of value for the business. (see e.g. tool KTH IPR Strategy)
• First complete formal application/registration of key IPR filed in cooperation with professional
• Basic agreements in place to ascertain control of key IPR (e.g. assignments, ownership, etc.)

IPRL 4

• Confirmed possibilities for protection of key IPR through searches/analysis by a professional
• Analyzed (ideally with professional) the key IPR and what the priorities should be for what to protect to create value for the business/project
• Possibly filed first IPR application/registration in some less elaborate form, e.g. own filing of trademark, “provisional” patent application (i.e. not professionally drafted), etc.

IPRL 3

• Considered what forms of IPR are key/most important and could/should be protected
• Sufficiently detailed description of possible IPR to evaluate possibility for protection
• Evaluation of protection possibilities via e.g. own searches of publications, state-of-the art solutions etc. in the field
• Possibly initial searches or analysis by professional of relevant prior art or conflicting IPR

IPRL 2

• Mapped different forms of IPR that exist or could come up during development (see IPR list)
• Specific ideas for IPR exist, but are not well described and defined.
• Agreements related to IP are identified and ownership is clarified. Inventors/creators are clarified. Knowledge of applicable IP policies, potential restrictions in contracts, etc.

IPRL 1

• Hypothesizing that results or ideas might contain some possible form of IPR
• Some ideas on possible IPR may exist, but are speculative
• No description and documentation of the possible IPR
• Limited knowledge or unclarity regarding relevant legal aspects (ownership, use-rights etc.)
• Limited knowledge of uniqueness and the technical field, state-of-the art, publications etc.

TMRL — Team Readiness Level

TMRL 9

• The organization is high performing and well-functioning (cooperation, social environment, etc.)
• All levels of the organization actively engaged in continuous learning and development
• Organizational culture, structure, processes etc. are continuously improved and developed
• Incentives/rewards are aligned to motivate the whole organization to reach goals and perform well
• The management team is maintained, developed and performs over time

TMRL 8

• There is a clear leadership and management team with relevant professional experience
• Competent and diverse board, and relevant advisors in place and professionally used
• HR policies/processes/responsible in place to assure good HR practices and team diversity
• Necessary recruitments according to longer term plan are ongoing to ascertain relevant competencies, capacity, and diversity in the organization
• All levels of the organization are properly trained and motivated

TMRL 7

• Well-functioning team with clear roles
• Goals, vision, purpose, and culture are clearly articulated and documented to support team and organizational development
• Plan in place for how to build necessary organization and grow the team over longer term (~2 yrs)
• Processes/systems and plan for continuous learning and staff development implemented
• Board and advisors operational and supporting business and organizational development

TMRL 6

• Complementary and diverse founding team in place, capable of starting to build a business
• All key competencies and capacity necessary for the near term are present, incl. a clear CEO
• Committed team where everyone feels responsibility and accountability
• Started recruitment of advisors and/or board members, keeping in mind board diversity
• Awareness of risks to team performance (conflicts, burn-out/mental health, politics, etc.)

TMRL 5

• An initial founding team working together and all spending significant time. The founding team jointly having main needed competencies and capacity to start building this startup
• Aligned team with clarified roles, shared goals and visions, and clear commitment (e.g. time spent)
• The team has agreed on their respective shares (signed agreement). Ownership is balanced and incentivizing, and reflects historical and future commitment and contribution
• Activities to get additional competencies and capacity in progress, keeping in mind team diversity
• Initial systems/processes/tools in place to share knowledge and information within the team

TMRL 4

• Team (or individual) has a clear idea of how to take the idea to market (startup, IP deal, etc.)
• At least one champion (driver and committed to take the idea forward) is present
• Several, but not all, necessary competencies are present, typically multiple individuals
• A plan is in place and initiated to find necessary additional competencies and capacity (described e.g. in a requirement profile), keeping in mind team diversity
• The team has started discussions on roles, commitment, ownership, etc. going forward

TMRL 3

• One or several individuals that possess some, but not all, of necessary competencies and capacity to start verifying the idea
• Needs and gaps in competencies, capacity, and team diversity are identified
• Initial plan is defined for how to find needed prioritized competencies (near-term, <1 year)

TMRL 2

• Limited competencies and/or capacity present - typically 1-2 persons
• First idea of which additional persons/competencies that could be needed to verify/develop idea
• First idea of overall goal for the project

TMRL 1

• Typically an individual lacking necessary competencies in key areas such as tech, business etc.
• Little insight into needed/necessary competencies and other needed resources (e.g. partners, service providers etc.) to verify and develop the idea

FRL — Funding Readiness Level

FRL 9

• Secured funding for at least 6-12 month runway according to current business plan/operational plan – the money is on the bank account or predictable recurring revenue
• Fully implemented financial monitoring and bookkeeping system for continuous control of current financial status, and good forecast/foresight of future funding needs

FRL 8

• Concrete discussions (term sheet level) with one or several external funding sources that clearly are interested
• All necessary supporting material for external funding in place (financials, business plan, etc.)
• Correctly established legal entity with ownership structure suitable for the planned funding source (not fragmented or significant parts held by inactive/non-contributing persons)
• All key legal, IPR, financial, and operational documentation and agreements collected and available for external review (due diligence)

FRL 7

• Discussions with potential external funding sources around a defined offer (how much money, for what, conditions, valuation, etc.)
• Pitch for funding is complete, tried, and tested, and a business plan (or equivalent) with financial projections, milestone plan etc. is in place
• Basic accounting systems and documentation in place for financial follow-up

FRL 6

• Updated/improved pitch for funding has been tested on relevant audience
• 3-5 year PnL budget and cash flow for business/project in spreadsheet format that clarifies near and medium term funding need

FRL 5

• Pitch for funding (e.g. investor pitch format) elaborated and tested on relevant audience
• Initial PnL budget & cash flow for coming 12 months in spreadsheet format
• Decided on funding strategy and funding sources to reach a viable business model - based on pros/cons of the different strategies
• Insight into requirements and consequences of external funding (in particular equity funding) on business model, control, and ownership

FRL 4

• Elaborated plan to verify commercial potential of the idea is in place (e.g. 3-12 months, incl. hypotheses to verify, goals, activities, timeline, funding need)
• Identified relevant funding sources
• Secured sufficient funding to implement substantial part of the verification plan

FRL 3

• Secured sufficient funding for initial verification/feasibility activities (e.g. 1-6 months)
• Awareness of different funding types (own, soft, equity, customer, etc.) and typical pros/cons

FRL 2

• Initial activities and costs to verify potential/feasibility if idea is described (e.g. 1-6 months)
• There is a basic plan with funding options for the initial milestones (e.g. 1-6 months)

FRL 1

• Little or no insight into relevant activities and costs to verify potential/feasibility of the idea
• Little insight into different funding options and funding types.

How do we name the skills you practice?

Every article in Global Venture I ends with two lines: Your progress and Skills you practice.

Your progress uses the six readiness areas on this page. "Customer readiness to level 3" means the customer level of the KTH Innovation Readiness Level™, scored from 1 to 9.

Skills you practice uses names from two public lists, so you can describe what you learned in words employers, programs and universities already recognize:

• The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025, which lists the core skills employers expect to matter most, such as analytical thinking, creative thinking, and empathy and active listening⁷.
• EntreComp, the European Commission's Entrepreneurship Competence Framework, which describes 15 entrepreneurial competences, such as spotting opportunities, mobilizing others and coping with uncertainty⁸.

You do not need to memorize either list. They are there so the skills you build here travel with you.

Frequently asked questions

What is the KTH Innovation Readiness Level?
An openly licensed model from KTH Innovation that scores six areas of a venture — Customer, Technology, Business model, IPR, Team and Funding — from 1 to 9, to show how far an idea has moved toward the market.

How do you score your venture on the IRL?
Describe level 9 for your idea first. Then, area by area, climb from level 1 on the official KTH sheets and stop at the first level whose criteria you cannot all meet with evidence. You score yourself; your instructor reviews it.

Is the IRL a grade?
No. It measures how far your venture has moved, not how good it is. In the Global Venture courses, grades come from the rubric and your evidence.

Do we need the same level in all six areas?
No. Gaps are normal, but a gap of more than two or three steps between areas is worth discussing.

Why not use a SEA Bridge readiness scale?
Because a shared, external scale lets partners, funders and other universities read your progress without learning a new tool.

✦ A Note for Global Venture I Students · All blocks, starting in Block A · Form A+B, then every block form

In Global Venture I you aim for CRL 3–4 · BRL 3 · TMRL 3–4 · FRL 2–3 by the end of Block H. TRL and IPRL: record only.

You will score yourself at the start, in Form A+B, and again in every block form after that. Your team keeps one Venture Log; each member writes the Venture update — with the readiness self-score and one line on what changed and why — in their own block form. Your instructor reviews it. By the final presentation, your IRL history should tell the story of your venture — including the times it went down.

Do this before class:

1. Venture Log: write three or four lines describing level 9 for your idea (in Block A).
2. Score your baseline on all six areas using the official KTH sheets, with one piece of evidence for each level you claim. Put it in Form A+B.
3. Name the one area with the biggest gap, and the block in this course most likely to move it.

Pre-class check (in Form A+B):

1. Name the six IRL areas and what each one measures.
2. Why does a level count only when all its criteria are met?
3. Give one reason your score might go down during this course — and why that is good news.

Your progress: All six areas — baseline in Block A, scored after every block.

Skills you practice: Motivation and self-awareness · analytical thinking · learning through experience · coping with uncertainty, ambiguity and risk.

Based on the KTH Innovation Readiness Level™ by KTH Innovation, licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (kthinnovationreadinesslevel.com).

Keep reading

• Why We Ask You to Do 12 Interviews — and Why Only Five Are Customers — where CRL evidence comes from
• Lean Canvas & Business Model Canvas — what BRL 3 looks like
• FISHE Capital™ × CSTO™ (Company Edition) — why a level is low
• The Venture Log & Book Log — where you record your scores

References

1. KTH Innovation. (n.d.-a). The KTH Innovation Readiness Level™ model – User guide [PDF, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0]. Official version in the KTH IRL Tool Kit (log-in required): https://kthinnovationreadinesslevel.com/kth-innovation-readiness-leveltm-tool-kit/ . Public copy hosted by Fonds de recherche du Québec: https://frq.gouv.qc.ca/app/uploads/2025/02/kth-irl-user-guide_va.pdf — accessed Nov 2026.
2. KTH Innovation. (n.d.-d). Take a tour. https://kthinnovationreadinesslevel.com/take-a-tour/ — accessed Nov 2026.
3. KTH Innovation. (n.d.-b). KTH Innovation Readiness Level™: Compiled readiness levels [PDF, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0]. Official version in the KTH IRL Tool Kit (log-in required). Public copy hosted by Fonds de recherche du Québec: https://frq.gouv.qc.ca/app/uploads/2025/02/kth-innovation-readiness-level_compiled_va.pdf — accessed Nov 2026.
4. Sripatum University. (2026, August 28). เปิดพอร์ตทุน De-risk สำหรับสายเทค: TED Fund หนุนไอเดียสู่ตลาด ตั้งแต่ Mockup ถึง Scaling [in Thai]. https://www.spu.ac.th/fac/informatics/?p=235045 — accessed Nov 2026.
5. KTH Innovation. (n.d.-c). Join us [license and terms of use]. https://kthinnovationreadinesslevel.com/membership-join-us/ — accessed Nov 2026.
6. Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall.
7. World Economic Forum. (2025). The future of jobs report 2025 (ch. 3, core skills). https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/ — accessed Nov 2026.
8. Bacigalupo, M., Kampylis, P., Punie, Y., & Van den Brande, L. (2016). EntreComp: The entrepreneurship competence framework. Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2791/29479 — accessed Nov 2026.

A self-check tool is coming.

About the author: Kasper-Tanakrit Sermsuksan is the Founder of SEA Bridge and a Visiting Lecturer in Computer Engineering and Digital Technology at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Engineering. Learn more →