SmartComplAI: Discovering Key Buyers in MS4-Regulated Industries

Conduct market research and customer discovery to help SmartComplAI better understand the needs, workflows, and compliance pain points of organizations subject to MS4 stormwater regulations—including municipalities, nontraditional institutions (e.g., universities, airports), and large construction companies. Tasks & Activities Learners Will Engage In: Identify and segment target customers within the three priority sectors. Research MS4 regulatory requirements and how they impact different organizations. Conduct stakeholder interviews (where possible) to explore pain points and internal decision-making workflows. Analyze data from interviews, industry reports, or public documents. Summarize findings in a concise, actionable format that supports go-to-market strategy and product refinement. Expected Deliverables: Customer persona profiles for 3–5 key stakeholder types. Sector-specific summaries outlining compliance challenges, procurement pathways, and decision-making structures. A short report or slide deck summarizing findings and recommendations for next steps in customer engagement and product positioning.

Coworking & event space Layout Optimization

We have been serving customers for decades, and we would like to increase sales in our store. We believe that changing the layout of our shop could lead to more revenue per customer. We would like to collaborate with students to generate profitable layouts for our store. This will involve several different steps for the students, including: Familiarizing themselves with our services. Researching commonly used floor plans for working spaces. Considering factors such as traffic flow, customer behaviour, product placement, displays, and customer amenities. Creating a blueprint of a recommended store layout. Bonus steps in the process would also include: Recommending changes to improve our site’s accessibility.

Community Engagement and Outreach Plan for Non-Profit Organizations

The main goal for the project is to develop a community engagement and outreach plan for non-profit organizations, specifically for ECS, to increase awareness and involvement in their environmental consulting services. This will involve creating strategies to connect with the community, promote their services, and build lasting relationships with potential clients and partners.

Lean Startup Business Strategy Development with Go to market strategy

The main objective of this project is to develop a Lean Startup Business Strategy for ECS Digital, incorporating a comprehensive Go-to-Market Strategy. This approach focuses on rapidly bringing ECS Digital's digital platform to the construction industry, emphasizing efficient resource use, market validation, and iterative product development to meet the needs of environmental compliance management effectively. Problem to be Solved: Learners will address the challenge of creating a business strategy that allows ECS Digital to quickly adapt to market feedback, minimize costs, and reduce time to market. The strategy will need to identify key customer segments, validate the product-market fit, and outline scalable marketing and distribution channels. Expected Outcome: Customer Discovery and Validation: Identify and understand the primary customer segments for ECS Digital. Validate the product-market fit through customer interviews, surveys, and market analysis. Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Development: Define and develop an MVP that addresses the core needs of the target audience, enabling early user feedback and iterations. Go-to-Market Strategy: Create a detailed Go-to-Market plan that includes positioning, messaging, marketing channels, sales strategy, and key metrics for success. Build-Measure-Learn Feedback Loop: Establish a framework for implementing the Lean Startup methodology, focusing on rapid cycles of product releases, measurements, and learning to refine and improve the business strategy. Financial Model: Develop a lean financial model projecting startup costs, revenue streams, and profitability to ensure sustainability and growth. By the end of the project, learners are expected to have crafted a Lean Startup Business Strategy that positions ECS Digital for successful entry into the construction industry market, equipped with an actionable Go-to-Market plan to achieve rapid growth and market adoption.