From Idea to Impact

Move Fast and Fix Things

How UMSI students are turning curiosity into ventures through engaged, entrepreneurial learning.

In the high-stakes world of startups, the traditional Silicon Valley mantra has long been “move fast and break things.” At the University of Michigan School of Information, however, Moses Lee teaches a different philosophy: “move fast and fix things.” For UMSI students, entrepreneurship is not just about the exit strategy. It is about applying a human-centered lens to solve real-world problems that others might miss in the rush to innovate.

What differentiates a UMSI entrepreneur from a traditional business or engineering student is a deep focus on human needs. In an era where anyone can prompt AI to generate a billion-dollar idea, the technical “how” has become a commodity. The real competitive advantage lies in the “who” and the “why.”

"I can ask Claude to give me a billion-dollar business idea," Lee says. "But do you really understand on the ground level the human needs and challenges? Are you business model first, or are you human need first?" Because UMSI students are trained across tracks like UX/UI and data science to be experts in behavior, they are uniquely positioned to add value."A human-centric approach ensures you’re always working to fix real problems," Lee adds, "rather than just being a solution looking for a problem."

One of the biggest hurdles to innovation is not a lack of technical skill. It is the “perfectionist trap.” Many students have been conditioned by K-12 and higher education systems to believe that success is defined by finding a single correct answer.

“When you think about studying for the SAT, there is a right answer and a wrong answer. It is zero or one,” Lee explains. “But in entrepreneurship, the answer is not always clear.” Through Innovation Treks and Challenges, Lee pushes students into low-stakes, high-growth environments where success is not measured by a grade, but by the speed of learning. He notes that “learning quickly is what enables innovation,” and that unlearning the “right or wrong” mentality takes time but is essential for becoming nimble and adaptable.

To mitigate the risk of entrepreneurship, Lee emphasizes smart experimentation. With the barrier to entry lower than ever, he warns against the “shotgun approach” of launching unvetted ideas. “Everyone is launching random things, and no one wants to use them because it is just a bunch of noise. It is AI slop,” Lee says.

To avoid this, he teaches students to seek brutal, unfiltered feedback from non-stakeholders. One of his core tactics is for students to present their prototypes without claiming ownership. "If I tell you a project is mine, you won't tell me my baby is ugly," Lee laughs. "I tell students: I want to hear the negatives. I want to hear what’s wrong with this. I want you to not adopt. If no one signs up for your prototype, that tells you your value prop isn't strong enough."

For any BSI or MSI student sitting on a bold idea, Lee’s advice is simple: start with empathy and curiosity, not your solution. “Look for pain, not ‘nice-to-haves,’” he suggests. “There is a big difference between a painkiller and a vitamin.”

The journey from curiosity to venture begins with empathy. By talking to stakeholders and deeply understanding their frustrations, UMSI students are uniquely positioned to build the next generation of ventures that don't just move fast, but make the world work better.