Olin Hall Suite 320 oel@babson.edu
Dear Babson Graduate Students, Welcome to Babson’s Graduate Office of Experiential Learning! We are excited to share our newest experiential offering focused on fieldwork with emerging businesses. The following pages contain scopes of work for Field Experience: Start-up along with a link to the application to apply for one of these opportunities. These projects will run for the upcoming October to December, Fall Elective Set II. The project offerings associated with this elective are scheduled to run for 7 weeks and those projects that have been approved by a specific division for concentration approval are denoted. As you plan your electives, please note the following dates and deadlines: ❏ Tuesday, September 24th: Application submissions due by midnight, ET. ❏ Week of September 30th: Communicate team formation to students. ❏ Project acceptance confirmation due 3 DAYS AFTER RECEIVING the team formation email. ❏ Experiential Learning office to register each team with Registrar’s Office: End of the week of September 30th. Should you have any questions, or want additional information regarding Field Experience: Start-up, please contact Amanda Malin in the Office of Experiential Learning or your Graduate Academic Services Advisor. We look forward to having you join a team! Wishing you continued success, Amanda Malin AMANDA MALIN | John Rehm Director of Experiential Learning Babson College | F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business T: 781-239-5053 F: 781-239-6193
Table of Contents Technology Consumer Products/Retail Life Sciences & Healthcare Technology
Other Financial Services Technology
Atlas Urban Farms https://www.atlasurbanfarms.com/ Industry: Technology Project Focus: Finance & Accounting, Strategy/Business Planning & Forecasting Company Description Location: Brookline, MA Atlas Urban Farms is an award-winning, Boston-based startup building an ecosystem of vertical farming technology for food scientists and research chefs. Our latest beta program was 4x oversubscribed and we're seeing organic word of mouth growth among our beachhead market. The food R&D industry is a $30B market, and it steers the entire $1.4T food industry. We are getting inbound interest from angels and institutions as we prepare to raise a $300k pre-seed for contract manufacturing. Project Challenge Atlas has a plan to place a farm on every wall in the world. However, to build that greener, healthier future, we will need lots of resources, specifically financial ones. Other companies in this space, like Aerofarms and AppHarvest, have failed due to financial strategies that did not align with their product or customers. Atlas will be different, but we need your help to develop comprehensive financial models that provide enough detail to make sound strategic decisions, but also remain flexible as the business is in its early stages. Deliverables Deliverables may include, but are not limited to, pro forma financial documents, fundraising roadmaps, headcount tables, and supporting documentation. Ambitious teams may be able to engage further to help the core Atlas team develop strategy around cash flow management, which can be a challenge for hardware companies. This project will directly influence the longer term strategy of Atlas Urban Farms, potentially for years to come. The ideal students will be ones who are comfortable with uncertainty, have the ability to translate changing environments into robust forecasts, who have a bias towards action and a strong desire to build real world solutions. The ideal student team would work closely with the core Atlas team to develop financial models using real numbers from the business, evolving as time goes on and the business grows and responds to the market. The best outcome for Atlas would be the opportunity to meet and hire exceptional people to continue our mission.
Clayton Farms https://www.claytonfarms.com/ Industry: Consumer Products/Retail Project Focus: Sales/Business Development, Strategy/Business Planning & Forecasting Company Description Location: Ames, IA Clayton Farms is a mission driven company, focused on providing people with the food they deserve. We accomplish this mission by building the world's freshest salad, wrap, and smoothie restaurants. How? We build an actual farm within the restaurant. We're a Y Combinator backed company with a big vision. The more Clayton Farms Salads restaurants we launch, the better chance we have at increasing the average lifespan of people, thanks to providing a fast + healthy food option. We've open sourced our growing technology. Every team member is a farmer and cross trained in operations. Project Challenge We have the opportunity to bring Clayton Farms Salads to Babson. In doing so, we are at the stage of a partnership where we need to determine the best possible location (on campus, off campus, nearby campus?). This project would coincide nicely with our case study that we're working on, in collaboration with Babson and Iowa State University. Challenge #1 is location, location, location. Deliverables By the end of fall semester 2024, all partners have signed off on the location. We launch Clayton Farms Salads in spring 2025.
We believe the best way to scale our company is through franchising. Our technology and unit economics are sound and working at location #1 in Ames, Iowa. But this will be our first partner location, and all eyes will be on us as we launch. Babson students and faculty have the wisdom and opportunity to help us build the franchising playbook, and run location #2 of 10,000. We'd be grateful for the opportunity to partner with the best college in the United States, for both entrepreneurship and franchising.
Dynamic Neurometrics Industry: Life Sciences and Healthcare Project Focus: Strategy/Business Planning & Forecasting Company Description Location: Columbus, OH We are researchers with a long history in vestibular research. Dr. Merfeld is a well-known expert in the fields, particularly in vestibular function. Mr. Grimes has a BS in Electric Engineering from MIT, and over forty years experience in software engineering working, with a diverse client list from private industry, government entities, and research institutions. We seek to develop diagnostic and therapeutic devices to treat balance, vertigo, and other vestibular disorders and increase patient quality of life. Overview of Technology and Solution Our technology core is a computer controlled 6 degree of freedom (DoF) motion platform - powerful enough to move a human yet small enough fit in a clinic exam room – customized to serve our multiple applications. We have developed and are continuing to develop specific motion protocols for our multiple applications (balance/vestibular/gait assessment and therapeutics) for this product. Our IP consists of these motion protocols as an integral part of our products. Different hardware and software modules will allow this system to serve multiple purposes (e.g., to quantify and mitigate fall risk, to test vestibular function, balance, and/or gait, and/or to provide therapy to improve vestibular function, balance, and gait. For the “fall reduction” application we focus on initially, the product would provide the means to assess fall risk and provide the training needed to improve vestibular precision and balance. Research shows that multidimensional balance testing can effectively quantify balance. Research (published and unpublished) shows that we can train vestibular function to yield lower tilt thresholds and reduced sway (i.e., better balance). The research needed to refine and develop the protocols is the primary barrier for this application as no substantive technical barriers exist. Competition There are no competing products that use vestibular training to reduce falls, as our research findings linking vestibular function, balance, and falls are relatively recent. For many years, Neurocom (later bought by Natus) manufactured a popular 1 DoF system called a Balance Master that can still be found in clinics all over the world. A few years ago, Natus chose to stop selling this 1980’s technology – providing a market opportunity. Virtualis has begun to fill this niche with a 3 DoF balance platform. While some of our IP might be of interest to Virtualis, they have indicated no interest in 6DOF motion platform development, which would curtail effectiveness of our products/applications. Bertec is a leading manufacturer of forceplates used to assess quiet stance and also sells both immersive and standard treadmills, but none of their products provide the 6 DoF perturbations required for optimal impact. We can leapfrog both
Virtualis and Bertec in these domains using a 6DoF platform, which is required for our planned products to deliver the necessary stimuli. In addition to the inherent advantage that a 6DoF platform can provide stimuli in all motion dimensions, our planned products have the additional advantage of a modular approach that layers multiple applications/products on one motion platform – delivering more to our customers at lower cost while simultaneously requiring less space.. Market Opportunity There are no substantive technical barriers to be overcome. Human research must continue, and promising research findings must be brought to market in the form of products as the technologies are not simple enough to allow each individual or clinic to implement these for themselves. Revenues from US customers alone across all product lines could exceed $1 billion. With adequate funding, we envision being able to deliver an initial product for research labs within 3 years & for non-research units within 5 years. Commercialization Path Research shows that modern multidimensional motion technologies can enhance our ability to diagnose and treat vestibular dysfunction and imbalance and reduce fall risk. Our IP is described in more detail in our disclosures, but stated succinctly, our IP consists of specific motion protocols that we apply via our custom 6 DOF motion platform to reduce fall risk. Research needs to be done to open all market opportunities, but initial steps are: (i) to develop a FDA roadmap and (ii) to develop a prototype product. Following those initial steps, the next steps would be to bring the technology to market for fall prevention including balance assessment & therapies and other applications mentioned above. Project Challenge Our company plans to develop multiple product lines that – via a modular approach – share the same motion platform as a key element. Eventually, we foresee that our diverse product line will include both consumer products & medical (FDA-regulated) products. For this application, we focus on a fall reduction product, but, for completeness, we also list several other product lines below. For us, this multiproduct approach will diversify our revenue streams & enhance stability. For our customers, this multi-product approach will use available space much more efficiently and will be much more cost-effective than having to purchase multiple specialized systems (one for each need) – making our products more affordable than existing options – even while delivering higher multidimensional performance. We have been heavily involved in vestibular research (funded by the NIH and DoD) for forty years. During this time, we have developed: (a) technology/methods that can be used to screen fall risk, as well as serve as a screen of both balance and mobility, (b) technology/methods that can improve balance and mitigate fall risk, (c) technology/methods that can help diagnose vestibular dysfunction in patients, and (d) technology/methods to improve vestibular function. Recent advances show that all of these can be developed on a common motion platform.
These advances lead to opportunities to create a product line for the clinic (requiring FDA approval) and a separate product line for the consumer. Our challenge to the consulting team would be to help quantify/evaluate the markets as well as to develop strategies to expand into those markets. We will commercialize our IP using government programs (SBIR, STTR, etc.) that support small business development, but we seek advice and practical guidance for developing suitable business plans and market forecasts, areas in which we have little experience. • Fall Reduction: About 1 in 4 older adults fall each year. Since falls are the leading cause of accidental death in older adults and provide a societal burden (circa $55 billion in medical costs in 2020), our initial product will focus on assessing fall risk and providing novel training interventions to reduce fall risk. • Markets: Our markets will include more than just fall reduction; our state-of-the-art computer-controlled motion platform will enable entrance to other markets too. Using novel multi-dimensional stimuli that we have developed via research funded by the NIH and DoD, we plan to develop product lines that will: 1. Comprehensively quantify balance in the clinic (e.g., vestibular and mild traumatic brain injury patients). 2. Quantify perturbed gait for patients suffering from mTBI, vestibular dysfunction, Parkinson’s, etc. 3. Provide balance and/or gait training to enhance balance and/or gait stability, and reduce fall risk. 4. Comprehensively quantify vestibular function using a single standard methodology (perceptual thresholds) for multiple dimensions of vestibular function. 5. Provide vestibular training to enhance vestibular function to increase stability and reduce fall risk. 6. Provide a controllable, programmable motion base for consumer virtual reality applications. Deliverables We are looking for assistance that could take the form of the following two deliverables, which would guide us in our business development: • Market analysis, general ◦ Clinic product ◦ Consumer product • Business plan outline/presentation (“first draft”) Our primary path involves developing a suitable prototype that fits into the SBIR/STTR grant framework of the National Institutes of Health. Part of the applications for later phases in these programs are essentially business and marketing plans to demonstrate the feasibility of a positive commercial outcome. Similarly, obtaining external investment would also require a compelling business case. We envision the deliverables providing a solid foundation for these plans. This challenge is vital for us to take our existing IP and research to build a viable business to provide clinical devices for better patient outcomes.
KeyCaliber https://www.keycaliber.com/ Industry: Technology Project Focus: Sales & Marketing, Analytics – Web/Mobile/Market Research Company Description Location: Washington, D.C. Revenue: $500,000 Employees: 6 KeyCaliber is a cybersecurity technology startup that empowers security teams to optimize their limited resources to improve cyber resilience. The Founder previously co-founded a cybersecurity startup that was acquired by McAfee and worked at the Executive Office of the President during the Obama Administration before that. Project Challenge KeyCaliber has pivoted its go-to-market strategy and is now targeting service providers as opposed to enterprises. Our project will leverage our newly developed marketing/messaging map that will serve as the guiding document for our marketing campaign. Project task will include the following: * Identifying target customers (managed security service providers, managed service providers, etc.). * Identifying the mediums that are most effective for reaching this audience. * Developing marketing collateral. * Developing website content. * Developing newsletter content. Deliverables * List of target customers (company, individual, individual's role, individual's contact information or LinkedIn) * List of relevant conferences, events, speaking opportunities, etc. * Updated website pages * One-pager data sheets * Sales deck * Case study * Content for 3-5 ads * Content for 2-3 newsletters The project results will be immediately incorporated into KeyCaliber's marketing and sales efforts.
MacroBreed LLC Industry: Other Project Focus: Sales & Marketing, Sales/Business Development, Strategy/Business Planning & Forecasting, Advisory Services/Consulting, Analytics – Web/Mobile/Market Research Company Description Location: Los Angeles, CA MacroBreed is a kelp seed technology company that aims to deliver seeded lines of kelp to kelp farmers in the US. MacroBreed is the first kelp company to use genomic selection (originally developed in agriculture) to expedite breeding gains. MacroBreed has also developed a breeding technology to produce non-reproductive kelp, thus limiting impacts of kelp farms on local ecosystems. MacroBreed mission statement: We accelerate breeding improvements of kelp to serve a growing industry capable of producing renewable biofuels and low-carbon products that replace fossil fuel derivatives. Our patented process of combining high-yield with non-reproductive traits opens broad-scale farming opportunities. Project Challenge The world is in dire need of a portfolio of sustainable energy sources to combat the twin challenges of increasing global population and rising earth temperatures. One promising path to meet these challenges is accelerating marine biomass production by applying new agriculture breeding methodologies in conjunction with advances in aquaculture nursery and farming technologies. MacroBreed is a kelp seed technology company that has developed selective breeding techniques for kelp (marine biomass) that greatly increases production while limiting impacts on local ecosystems. Kelp is an ideal sustainable farming target as it takes no arable land, no freshwater, no pesticides/ herbicides, and contributes hundreds of billions of dollars in ecosystem services. Our techniques are completely non-GMO, but leverage the life cycle of kelp and advances in genomics to produce kelp that is both productive and non-reproductive, limiting impacts of kelp farms on local ecosystems.
Our challenge in the US revolves around bringing our technology into the US market. MacroBreed faces a limited domestic kelp market due to traditionally not consuming kelp compared to other parts of the world. Farming kelp in the US is much more expensive than wild harvesting as well. Therefore, we need to team up with the rest of the kelp industry to increase market awareness of the benefits of growing and consuming kelp, including developing new downstream products and use cases. MacroBreed also faces the issue of social license and acceptance of farming selectively bred kelp in the US. There is already public pushback against kelp farming in general. Kelp farms are safe to the public and produce important primary resources while providing ecosystem services. We need to increase public awareness of the benefits of kelp farming and aquaculture in general. Within the kelp community, our technology has both created excitement amongst the kelp community, but also some pushback due to concerns of potentially monopolizing the kelp seed space. We need some help crafting messages that target our stakeholders, ranging from the public to fisherman to kelp farmers to regulators, to increase social license around selectively bred kelp and kelp aquaculture in general. Deliverables MacroBreed would expect deliverables that help establish a foundation for public acceptance of kelp aquaculture while helping build out its business case. This would include website and social media consultation to maximize engagement with visitors, while also gaining information to be used for market research. MacroBreed is a small startup that is commercializing research developed through Department of Energy grants, and could use some assistance in business planning, strategy, and forecasting. MacroBreed has begun a customer outreach program but would like some mentorship on increasing customer engagement and cooperation within the kelp industry. MacroBreed would like help recruiting new members of the kelp industry to help grow the domestic market. MacroBreed will apply the findings of this collaboration to their marketing and business strategies, while building on the social license case for public and private stakeholder support for kelp farms. Graphics and social media strategies will also be immediately implemented to capture more stakeholder engagement. This challenge is important to MacroBreed now because of a lack of strong public support for kelp farms will hinder the necessary future scaling of the industry in the US. Kelp needs to be grown at scale to be economically
competitive with imported kelp, and increasing public support is required to achieve this scale. MacroBreed is a new startup and requires stakeholder support to succeed. These challenges are therefore important to address as soon as possible to increase the chance of MacroBreed successes. MacroBreed is hoping to contribute seeds to the kelp industry to help address twin challenges of needing more primary resources while the planet is warming. MacroBreed would like to make a positive impact as soon as possible, and therefore it is paramount to address this challenge now.
POLAR Technologies Industry: Financial Services Project Focus: Strategy/Business Planning & Forecasting Company Description Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL POLAR technologies is an ecommerce company specializing in the sale of financial services products to independent professionals. The company is rooted in performance marketing principles, as well as a “occam's razor” mindset (the simplest solution is most often the best). The POLAR acronym stands for: P – Performance Marketing O – Outsource solutions L – Lean internal team A – AI-enabled R – Responsible Growth The above helps POLAR operate in a capital efficient, nimble manner while maintaining accountability to shareholders. Project Challenge POLAR Technologies is an ecommerce company that has been successful selling low-cost financial services products to professionals online. The firm is in search of new financials services products to sell into specific markets using integrated, performance-based marketing. Success derives from minimizing cost of customer acquisition and maximizing lifetime customer value (High LTV / CAC). The primary objective of this project is to identify at least two product categories and three markets for each category that POLAR can expand into over the next one to three years. One category may be POLARs current operating set – general and professional liability insurance. The target customer must be a business, or individual operating in a professional capacity. POLAR does not sell to the general consumer set. The two elements to determine include: Product category - 2 total
Examples: General and professional liability, aftermarket product warranty, stolen or damaged equipment coverage, etc. Target markets - 6 total Examples: drone operators, independent professionals, gig-economy workers, etc. Deliverables There are three major elements of the project: 1) develop list of potential product categories candidates at top of funnel for potential expansion opportunities; 2) develop criteria and execute research to narrow the potential categories to the most attractive opportunities; 3) once product categories determined, perform analysis to determine specific markets for expansion by category - perform competitive analysis, recommend selling benefits and tactics to win. Research should include the following considerations: Product category – products must match the criteria: Average maximum price: $1,000, Target loss ratio: 0 – 40% , Keyword search volume minimum: 400 per month Target markets – must match the criteria: Minimum Total Addressable Market: 50,000, Minimum product category market penetration: 40%, Competitive Set. The results of this project will help determine the next development cycle of POLARs operating plan. This information will be compared to internal analysis to guide market expansion over the next eighteen months.
RxPost https://rx-post.com/ Industry: Technology Project Focus: Finance & Accounting, Sales/Business Development, Strategy/Business Planning & Forecasting Company Description Location: Marina Del Ray, CA RxPost is a pioneering secondary pharmacy marketplace dedicated to transforming the way pharmacies manage their inventory. Founded with a mission to reduce pharmaceutical waste and enhance sustainability in the industry, RxPost enables pharmacies to monetize their overstocked, in-date medications by connecting with other pharmacies through a secure and compliant platform. Our innovative solution addresses the challenges of over-ordering and rigid return policies, helping pharmacies turn potential losses into valuable assets. By facilitating the legal and efficient exchange of medications, RxPost not only saves costs but also ensures that life-saving drugs are available where they are needed most. As a company, we are committed to sustainability, efficiency, and community service. Our vision extends beyond inventory management; we aim to empower pharmacies through technology, collaboration, and education. With a focus on real-world impact, RxPost is also exploring new avenues such as workforce development to train the next generation of skilled pharmacy technicians. Our dynamic team combines extensive pharmacy experience with startup expertise, working together to drive innovation and positive change in the industry. Join us as we continue to make strides towards a more efficient and sustainable pharmacy landscape. Project Challenge Background: RxPost, a pioneer in the secondary pharmacy marketplace, is exploring the expansion into workforce development by providing real-world, on-the-job education and skills training for pharmacy technicians. This initiative aims to address the growing need for skilled pharmacy technicians while creating an additional revenue stream for RxPost. Objective: We seek to evaluate the viability and profitability of this new business venture. Your task is to
develop a comprehensive business plan that assesses market demand, operational feasibility, financial projections, and strategic implementation. Market Research Statistics on Pharmacy Technicians: o Collect basic statistics on the number of pharmacy technicians in each state. Analyze trends to determine whether the number of pharmacy technicians is increasing or decreasing. o Research the wage outlook for pharmacy technicians, including average wages by state and projected growth. Licensure and Certification: o Document which states require licensure from the board of pharmacy to be a technician. Identify which states allow national certification to supersede state licensure. Educational Institutions: o Compile a comprehensive list of all accredited pharmacy schools in the nation, including their time requirements and costs. Curriculum and Accreditation: o Determine if there is a standardized national curriculum for pharmacy technicians. Identify the requirements for accreditation of pharmacy technician training programs. Program Development Curriculum Design: o Outline the structure and curriculum of the training program, focusing on both general skills and specialized skills like inventory management. Instructor Qualifications: o Determine the necessary qualifications for trainers and instructors. Implementation Timeline: o Develop a timeline for program rollout, including pilot phases and full-scale implementation. Financial Analysis Cost Breakdown: o Create detailed financial projections, including startup costs, ongoing operational expenses, and revenue streams. Break-Even Analysis: o Perform a break-even analysis to determine when the program will become profitable.
Funding Sources: o Identify potential funding sources, such as sponsorships from pharmacy industry companies and workforce development grants. Long-Term Projections: o Include financial projections for 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years. Operational Feasibility Logistical Requirements: o Assess the logistical requirements for running the training programs, including locations, equipment, and technology needs. Risk Management: o Identify potential challenges and propose solutions to mitigate risks. Marketing and Outreach Marketing Strategy: o Develop a marketing strategy to attract potential students and partners. Community Engagement: o Propose outreach initiatives to engage local communities and stakeholders. Impact and Sustainability Social and Economic Impact: o Evaluate the potential social and economic impact of the training program. Sustainability Measures: o Propose measures to ensure the long-term sustainability of the program. Deliverables • Comprehensive Business Plan Document • Executive Summary Presentation • Financial Projections and Analysis (1 year, 3 years, and 5 years) • Marketing and Outreach Strategy • Implementation Timeline and Milestones • Clear month-by-month or trigger-based roadmap for both product development and hiring for 18 months out
Strategic Decision-Making: The comprehensive business plan will provide RxPost with critical insights and data to make informed strategic decisions regarding the expansion into workforce development. Financial projections and break-even analysis will guide our budgeting and investment strategies, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently. Operational Implementation: The detailed month-by-month or trigger-based roadmap will serve as a practical guide for the rollout and scaling of the training program. Insights into logistical requirements and risk management will help streamline operations and mitigate potential challenges. Market Positioning: Market research findings will enable RxPost to position itself effectively within the competitive landscape of pharmacy technician training programs. The marketing strategy and outreach initiatives will help attract students, partners, and stakeholders, enhancing our market presence and credibility. Funding and Partnerships: Identification of potential funding sources, including sponsorships and grants, will support the financial sustainability of the program. Documentation of state licensure and certification requirements will facilitate compliance and help establish partnerships with educational institutions and healthcare organizations. Long-Term Growth: Financial projections for 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years will help RxPost set realistic growth targets and measure progress over time. Evaluating the social and economic impact will demonstrate the program’s value to the community, fostering goodwill and support from stakeholders. Why This Challenge Is Important to RxPost Now: Market Demand: There is a growing need for skilled pharmacy technicians, driven by the expanding healthcare sector and increased demand for pharmaceutical services. By addressing this need, RxPost can fill a critical gap in the market and enhance its value proposition. Diversification and Revenue Streams:
Expanding into workforce development allows RxPost to diversify its offerings and create additional revenue streams, reducing reliance on its core business. This strategic move can enhance financial stability and long-term sustainability. Competitive Advantage: Providing high-quality, real-world training will differentiate RxPost from competitors, positioning us as a leader in pharmacy technician education and training. Building a skilled workforce aligns with RxPost’s mission of promoting efficiency and sustainability in the pharmacy industry. Industry Relationships: Establishing training programs can strengthen relationships with industry partners, educational institutions, and healthcare providers. Collaborations and partnerships will open new opportunities for growth and innovation. Corporate Social Responsibility: By investing in workforce development, RxPost can make a positive social impact, contributing to the community and supporting economic development. This initiative aligns with our commitment to sustainability and better serving communities.
1. Review the 7-week Field Experience Overview 2. Decide whether you’ll apply as an individual or find classmates to work as a team (Please note: neither opon will increase or decrease your chances of being selected) 3. Select your top 3 choices As a reminder, please note the following dates and deadlines: o Tuesday, September 24th: Applicaon submissions due by midnight, ET. o Week September 30th: Communicate team formaon to students. o Project acceptance confirmaon due 3 DAYS AFTER RECEIVING the team formaon email. o Experienal Learning office to register each team with the Registrars Office: End of the week of September 30th. If you have any addional quesons, please contact Amanda Malin at amalin@babson.edu