Competitive Analysis & Overseas Expansion

It’s important for us to have a better understanding of how our target audience perceives our brand and competitors. We want to develop clarity on our competitive advantages and optimize our marketing strategy. This project will include: Identification of our current competitorsIdentification of potential future competitors (eg. a large company in a similar industry that may enter the space)The creation of a matrix identifying features shared across the companies and those that are different.A summary of 2-4 paragraphs describing our competitive advantages and disadvantages relative to the competition identified. This could be done in the form of a SWOT analysis.An outline of our industry’s expansion opportunities through a location analysis. This report should include an optimal location recommendation list. We will give you access to organizational assets to support this project such as personnel, website analytics, sales and brand collateral, and more. We can suggest names of competitors to research. Objective We hope to gain a comprehensive understanding of the competitors in our space and how we can differentiate ourselves through our product/service offering, and our messaging. Presently we only exist in one market but it’s time to grow! Our company requires some assistance in assessing our customer landscape outside of our current territory. We want to learn more about customer’s expectations and behaviors in suggested new regions. It is important for us to stay up to date on industry standards to ensure that we research new locations fully and completely before choosing to enter. We have some ideas of where we would like to go but we need to make sure that we consider all available options before making a decision. To consider: which markets align with our current one? Where are there buyers that we have yet to reach? What are the pros and cons of expanding our operations? What potential competitors exist in new locations? What legal protocol will need to be considered? Potential recommendations could be new products, new geographies, and new partnerships.

Strategic Prospecting Plan

Positions available: 1 team of 3 persons To become a proactive sales team, we need assistance developing an outreach process. We would like to equip our sales team with a plan that guides them in researching new prospects, identifying key contacts, and reaching out with compelling messages. We would like you to create a simple step-by-step strategy for prospecting in our target market. The project may include, but is not limited to: Identifying new potential accounts that align with our current customer base. Compiling relevant market information. Building a customizable outreach script. Creating a simple tracking framework, including metrics, for measuring outreach success. The final project deliverable is a report including research, analysis, and recommendations. It should assist our sales team in successfully prospecting within our target market with actionable recommendations that will increase sales conversions.

Pricing Model Development

Positions available: 3 Details We would like you to develop and test a series of pricing model options and present an effective data-based pricing model recommendation for our organization. You should conduct primary and secondary research to confirm your recommendation is validated by our target customer in this market. To accomplish this, we believe you will need to conduct the following research: Our organization’s costs, target customer, revenue targets, and business goals. The services we offer the businesses and how they compare to our competitors. We want to enter the market with a proven pricing model so that we can have a successful launch. Final deliverables should include: A written report including an Executive Summary that illustrates your research findings and recommendations on our pricing model. A visual presentation of your research findings and recommendations.

VFC- AI Shading (The Tesla of Window Covering Market) - Startup

HOW MANY STUDENT INTRAPRENEURS WILL THIS PROJECT ACCOMMODATE?/DE COMBIEN D’ÉTUDIANTS AVEZ-VOUS BESOIN POUR EXÉCUTER CE PROJET? 5 students TIME COMMITMENT PER STUDENT/TEMPS DE TRAVAIL PAR ÉTUDIANT 70 hours KEY PROJECT ACTIVITIES/TÂCHES ASSOCIÉES AU PROJET: Contribute to building AI Shading from startup into the next unicorn. Primary market research - conduct Customer discovery, using HubSpot Complete project development of varying complexity. Identify opportunities for new products and product improvements UNIQUE ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES/RÔLES/RESPONSABILITÉS : Follow Lean startup methodology, both technology development and business development. Create, develop, and maintain contacts in HubSpot Attend industry events, networking, and conduct customer interviews Research building sustainability trends, develop market opportunity ideas. Attend weekly team meetings PROJECT MENTOR NAME/NOM DU MENTOR DU PROJET: Zack Zhang, CEO, is the main mentor. Students will also be working closely with AI Shading team.

(VFC) FoundersBoost Vancouver - Accelerator Program Management + Marketing

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: FoundersBoost (a partner of Techstars) is a mentor-driven pre-acceleration program that runs for 6 weeks and we take no fees or equity from startups. Our goal is to prepare early-stage startups in Vancouver/BC for accelerators, seed investors, and revenue by providing pitch coaching and mentorship during the program as well as connections to accelerators and VCs after the program We are running two cohorts each year: Spring Cohort - Application period between Jan - Mar, six Weekly sessions between Mar - Apr, Demo Day in May Fall Cohort - Application period between Jul - Sep, six Weekly sessions between Oct - Nov, Demo Day in Dec Between Jan - Mar and Jul - Sep, we will be focusing on promoting the accelerator program and recruiting startups/mentors, as well as hosting webinars and startup community events Between Mar - Apr and Oct - Nov, we will be focusing on running the weekly sessions and recruiting Investors for Demo Days HOW MANY STUDENT INTRAPRENEURS WILL THIS PROJECT ACCOMMODATE? 5 TIME COMMITMENT PER STUDENT : 70 hours KEY PROJECT ACTIVITIES: Accelerator program management, startup event management Marketing and Promotion Research startups and supporting organizations IDEAL ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES:* Marketing + PR - Event promotion in our social media channels, other tech communities, and tech medias Sponsorship - Reach out to potential sponsors to secure sponsorship for our events (professional firms, tech companies, etc) Program Associate - Coordinate with startups, mentors, speakers, investors, and Headquarter Venture Analyst - Researching, sourcing, and recruiting startups to the accelerator program Event Management - Host and organize webinars and startup community events Partnership - Research and develop relationships with different related communities/organizations that support startups FINAL PROJECT DELIVERABLES: This varies depending on the roles and the time your project start/ends (in relative to what we are focusing on during that time as mentioned in the Project Description section above) PROJECT MENTOR NAME: Kenneth Ip - FoundersBoost Vancouver Director

Real Adulting 101 - Partnership/Market Research and Product Development

PROJECT DESCRIPTION/DESCRIPTION DU PROJET: We would like students to help us with researching and connecting with businesses to partner with us in order to make our Real Adulting 101 Goody Box. Our Goody Box is comparable to FitFabFun but all adulting related. Users get to choose the samples, coupons and gifts most needed in their current Adulting journey. Real Adulting 101 is an online, educational, subscription-based platform where adults can find all the relevant and necessary education needed to break down adulting barriers, allowing for them to go from simply surviving to thriving. Real Adulting 101 will supply adults with the tools, guidance and education necessary to take control of their life while providing entertainment, community, confidence and motivation. KEY PROJECT ACTIVITIES/TÂCHES ASSOCIÉES AU PROJET: Researching and connecting with small-medium businesses in Canada who may be interested in partnering for this opportunity. Building and developing the Goody Box through market research and securing partnerships. Researching Canadian companies that produce merchandise ethically to design and build our Adulting Journal and Pen to include in box. IDEAL ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES/RÔLES/RESPONSABILITÉS:* Please note appropriate projects can accommodate most students, regardless of field of study or experience. We may not be able to fill these roles exactly. Veuillez noter que les projets appropriés peuvent accueillir la plupart des étudiants, quel que soit leur domaine d'études ou leur expérience. Nous ne pourrons peut-être pas remplir ces rôles exactement. Business Development / Communications Market Research Product Development FINAL PROJECT DELIVERABLES/LIVRABLES DU PROJET: Have secured 20 partners that align with our company's mission and will provide value to our users. Have found a great option for somebody producing merchandise that is cost effective and ethical.

Cowichan Recyclists - Market Research + Communications

PROJECT DESCRIPTION/DESCRIPTION DU PROJET: We would love to have a small team of students create a market research project that explores the potential for delivery services by electric bike in the Cowichan region on Vancouver Island. Our business has been growing since 2007 and we provide a recycling and organics pick up service with our custom made bike trailers. We were voted Best Green Business in the Cowichan Valley in 2020 and we are keen to leverage this amazing community support and get a sense of the potential for pedaling delivery services. We currently have a regular bike courier service for the City of Duncan and we have experimented with doing food delivery in partnership with a local online farmers market. We have two top quality electric cargo bikes and several different sized bike trailers ranging from 4 feet - 8 feet long and we have over a decade of experience managing the Cowichan Recyclists. The Recyclists has a strong connection to people in our community who would be keen to support our efforts within the realm of environmental stewardship and leadership. Before we can start the adventure in expanding innovative bike based services we need to do some creative research and look into questions like: What would we deliver? Who would be interested in this service? Would the logistics be feasible? KEY PROJECT ACTIVITIES/TÂCHES ASSOCIÉES AU PROJET: Collect and compile market research data Interview our partners and contacts Facilitate and coordinate focus groups Research bike based businesses Reach out to potential customers and partners Collect information on competitors Advise Cowichan Recyclists on market research needs IDEAL ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES/RÔLES/RESPONSABILITÉS:* Project Coordinator Communications Lead x 2 Market Researcher x 2 FINAL PROJECT DELIVERABLES/LIVRABLES DU PROJET: Draft market research report