This paper develops a business plan for the fictional company getconnected.ch, which is a website that provides a platform for students and businesses in order to interact with each other. Thus, we want to become the number one platform for business / student interaction.
The company’s legal form is called “Einfache Gesellschaft”, managed by the two owners Jonas Josef and Oscar Merri. As the founders of the start-up are students, they have a good knowledge of the customer segment. Hence, they have been in the situation of needing the services offered by the start-up without having a facilitated access. Therefore, the website is built with the experience of the practical problem in mind.
The website enables companies to upload business projects as well as vacancies targeted to students. On the other hand, students can directly apply for the projects and vacancies. Students can create a profile, which can be used as talent sourcing by companies. As such, the website provides the following databases:
- Database of business projects
- Database for vacant jobs, trainee programs, internships, etc.
- Database of potential talents
The main customers of Getconnected.ch are students and companies. Furthermore, universities and student unions are an important target group we will focus on. However, the website will be free of charge for students. Thus, revenues will only be generated by cooperations with universities / student unions and by advertisements on the website. This makes the website very attractive for students and companies, as it is free of charge. All the universities we have contacted are interested in the idea of Getconnected. As the number of students increases every year the demand of business projects, jobs, trainees and internships increases as well. In addition, the competitor analysis showed that no one provides all functionalities we offer. Therefore, we want to fill this gap and serve the increasing demand.
Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary
2. General Company Description
3. Products and Services
3.1. Services of Getconnected.ch
3.2. Features and Benefits of the Product
4. Marketing Plan
4.1. Economics
4.2. Customers
4.3. Competition
4.3.1. Competitors for business projects database
4.3.2. Competitors for job vacancies
4.3.3. Competitors for talent database
4.3.4. Competitive advantage/disadvantage
4.4. Promotion
4.5. Location
5. Management and Organization
6. Startup Expenses and Capitalization
7. Financial Plan
7.1. Income Statement
7.2. Break Even Analysis
7.3. Cash Flow Analysis
8. Legal considerations
9. Risk Analysis
10. Action Plan
11. Appendixes
11.1. Mockup of the Getconnected.ch website
11.2. Offers
11.2.1. Offer from Company 1
11.2.2. Offer from Company 2
Project Goals and Thematic Scope
The primary objective of this business plan is to establish "Getconnected.ch" as the premier online platform facilitating efficient interaction between students, universities, and businesses in Switzerland by providing centralized databases for project assignments, job vacancies, and student talent sourcing.
- Development of a centralized digital marketplace for business/student collaboration.
- Strategic marketing approach focused on German-speaking universities and Swiss student unions.
- Financial modeling comparing high-investment professional development versus lean-cost student-led implementation.
- Competitive positioning strategy leveraging niche specialization in the student job market.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1. Services of Getconnected.ch
Getconnected.ch is a website linking together the business world and students. As such, our website provides a number of services aimed at facilitating the communication between both parties. In order to interact on Getconnected.ch, a personal profile has to be created. The website can also be browsed without profile, but with a limited read-only authorization. The services of the webpage can be divided in three categories.
Database of business projects. Companies can upload their open projects on our website. A short description of the project and the confidentiality of the project have to be indicated. In order to facilitate the navigation through the different projects, companies can indicate the concerned functions (e.g. Strategy, Marketing, HR, etc.). Students can browse through these projects and apply. However, the final allocation decision lies with the company. As soon as an application is accepted, the project will be flagged as "taken".
Database for vacant jobs, trainee programs, internships, etc. Companies can upload their vacancies on Getconnected.ch. These job offers can range from a one-time job to trainee programs and full-time positions. Only vacancies which can be occupied by students/graduates will be allowed on the website. Students will be free to apply to these job vacancies directly. Additionally to the direct upload of vacancies by companies, the aim is to find a suitable partner which provides vacancies for students. This partner can be an established job market website. The partnering would allow us to display right from the start a selection of job vacancies, while allowing the partner to promote their vacancies on Getconnected.ch for free.
Summary of Chapters
Executive Summary: Provides an overview of the platform's vision, target audience, and its role as a bridge between students and businesses.
General Company Description: Details the vision, mission, and core objectives of the startup, including a breakdown of the target customer groups.
Products and Services: Explains the three core service offerings and the specific functional benefits for students, companies, and universities.
Marketing Plan: Analyzes the economic environment, identifies target customer segments and competitors, and outlines the promotional strategy.
Management and Organization: Outlines the team structure and the planned transition from student-managed operations to professional staffing.
Startup Expenses and Capitalization: Breaks down the financial requirements for the first two years of operation, categorized by marketing and IT development.
Financial Plan: Provides detailed income statements, break-even analyses, and cash flow projections based on different operational cost scenarios.
Legal considerations: Addresses data protection requirements and the intellectual property status of the domain name.
Risk Analysis: Evaluates potential operational and market-related threats and their impact on the platform's success.
Action Plan: Provides a timeline for key project milestones, including marketing activities and market expansion phases.
Appendixes: Contains visual mockups of the platform's interface and concrete cost estimates provided by potential IT partners.
Keywords
Getconnected.ch, Student Recruitment, Business Projects, Swiss Universities, Job Market, Active Sourcing, Start-up, Business Plan, Internship, Career Development, Digital Platform, HR Management, Entrepreneurship, Marketing Strategy, Talent Database.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental purpose of this business plan?
The document serves as a strategic business plan for "Getconnected.ch," a startup aimed at creating an efficient online platform to connect Swiss students with businesses for projects, internships, and job opportunities.
Which customer segments are prioritized by the platform?
The primary focus is on students seeking practical experience and companies looking to tap into student talent, supported by partnerships with Swiss universities and student unions.
What is the core research question or objective?
The core objective is to determine the feasibility of creating a "number one platform" for business-student interaction that reduces the time and friction in current recruitment and project-finding processes.
What scientific or business methods were applied?
The authors utilized market analysis, competitor benchmarking, financial modeling for diverse scenarios, and risk evaluation to assess the viability of the startup.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
It covers the operational model, a comprehensive marketing strategy, financial forecasting, organizational structure, and an action plan for the first three years of business.
Which keywords characterize this startup?
The project is characterized by terms such as digital recruitment, university partnerships, student labor market, entrepreneurship, and cost-efficient platform development.
How does the platform differ from traditional job boards?
Unlike traditional boards, Getconnected.ch specializes exclusively in the student/graduate segment and integrates university project assignments directly into its database.
What are the identified financial risks?
The primary risk is the reliance on gaining cooperation from universities and the uncertainty surrounding the adoption rate by both companies and students.
How is the transition from a student-led project to a professional company planned?
The plan involves working part-time during the startup phase, followed by hiring dedicated staff starting in the second year to support expansion into the French-speaking part of Switzerland and later into Germany and Austria.
- Citation du texte
- Jonas Josef (Auteur), Oscar Merri (Auteur), 2015, Developing a plattform for student-business-interaction. Business plan for "getconnected.ch", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/323208
