Examples
Bright Light Innovations is a business developed by students as part of the Colorado State University Entrepreneurship Program. Their goal is to form a for-profit company that will develop and distribute improved cook stoves for home use that will produce electricity as well as reduce bio mass consumption. They plan to distribute the Starlight stove for initial sales in Northern India and Nepal. To execute this plan they need product research on potential customer needs in India and Nepal. In addition, they need analysis of the market in these two areas to assess the size of the market and methods of penetration. They also need to find local manufacturers in these countries that can manufacture their products and retail partners to sell them.
Started as a micro enterprise in Belgaon Dhaga village, India, a few women began to sell their products in the nearby city of Nasik. During a visit to the United States, a member of their entrepreneur self-help group's advisory board brought some of their jewelry for sale. The products were immediately sold out and a great deal of interest was expressed for more jewelry. The opportunity for expanding their business into the U.S. market was evident. In order to do this they need information on export regulations and tariffs. They also need help in developing a business plan and obtaining funding. An import partner needs to be identified and a method for assessing fashion trends in their target market is essential.
Envirofit develops and disseminates products and services that address major environmental problems in the developing world. Established as a U.S. tax-exempt corporation, Envirofit's goal is to build and operate self-sustaining businesses. Envirofit proposes to commercially introduce a two-stroke engine retrofit kit into the Vigan region of the Philippines to retrofit all 3,000 of the two-stroke engine tricycle taxis operating in Vigan City. The help they need consists of locating and evaluating parts suppliers near their target market. In addition, they need sales partners in the area served. Further, they need to understand and protect their intellectual property rights in the Philippines.