The activities performed during the Feasibility Assessment were the following:
1. At business level, we carried out key activities investigating demand drivers and potential entry barriers due to usability and awareness; we Identified specific functionalities that the users need in order to maximise the value added by gathering data directly on our client’s needs and requirements (interviews and surveys). Potential entry barriers or regulations were duly analyses and appropriate mitigation assessed paired with IPR issues (tasks 1.1; 1.2; 1.3; 1.4)
• Step #1: we conducted a sound in-house market research analysis, resulting in the identification of market potentials, relevant industry applications, target audiences;
• Step #2: we proceeded on with a detailed customer segmentation, resulting in a crystal-clear scenario of our target groups, archetype personas and related “gains&pains”;
• Step #3: we consolidated our Business Model and revenue model, enabling us to assess and fine-tune our market penetration strategy and to define costs/benefits stream;
• Step #4: we elaborated a sound marketing strategy (market penetration strategy, policy price), including promotion and communication activities to engage users/customers, resulting in a first pre-commercialisation plan.
• Step #5: we intensified our on-going relevant partnerships with key-players (still on-going), resulting in robust relationships facilitating the market entry;
• Step #6: we conducted a detailed IPR analysis, resulting in the assessment of a first complete IPR management plan.
2. On a technical level, and basing on the feedback directly received from our prospects and clients, we improved the design of the entire platform, adding new features specifically for the SMEs (task 2.1 2.2 2.3; 3.1; 4.1) including:
• step #1: key users and strategic partners to represent the end-users checking the feasibility of Innoventually platform services compatibility with their needs and expectations. The action dealt with a series of tests performed together with Barilla, iDigital3,to validate the new platform custom features for the specific target groups (and in particular for the SMEs). This was done with the help of several focus groups organised together with the partners which were instrumental to gather relevant information about GUI preferred options, main desiderata in terms of functional points as “users”, specific tools for the SMEs. As a result of focus groups, discussion and testing, we assumed potential customer “pains&gains” of the Innoventually’s digital platform, the requirements from the potential users also in terms of UX which will be the objectives of the SME PH2 project implementation (WP2 Prototyping &Design evolution). We also further assessed the technical feasibility of the digital platform and to validate main functional points, so we proceed with the pivotal design of the digital platform and a series of test conducted on regular basis together with selected key opinion leaders to check appropriateness of the look&feel, usability. To this extent, a private beta version of the digital platform was released for internal testing only, and for a limited time only just to validate the design as well as the performances. This enabled us to validate our potential users/customers needs and demands related to features&performances in use, related GUI (Graphic User Interface), and its features. As a result, screening bugs, ergonomics and implementation issues were checked and validated.
• step #2: elaboration of a detailed product development plan (for Phase 2 implementation), supported by the agile development methodology and by a digital marketing expert coaching (by EU coaches portal). As a result, we consollidated our strategy plan to reach the market, including implementation roadmap, key strategic actions, main milestones, pre-commercialisation plan. We identified 2 partners and signed cooperation agreements for pilot actions to be implemented in the forthcoming 18 months instrumental to further operation, technical and economic viability and pre-commercialisation actions.
• step #3: elaboration of a plan to satisfy all regulatory requirements necessary for market readiness, including a risk assessment and contingency plan will be conducted.
Results achieved so far: Technical Assessment (TA) and Economic Feasibility Analysis (EFA) resulted in the actual stage of the Innoventually's digital platform.
