Acceleration of the idea validation for startup

Business model restructuring, idea validation for poker startup launch, and investor capture.

CHALLENGE

Business model reformulation, idea validation for startup launch, and investment capture!

Design Thinking process combined with the "Business Model Canvas" allowed the development of a set of solutions from the intersection of strategic information extracted from personas, journeys, and the reformulation of the business model.Most of the time, entrepreneurs focus too much on the execution of their idea, and the process of validating and structuring the business model has been left aside, bringing uncertainty and slowing down its launch in the market. The partners at Poker Depot (an app for home gaming poker) realized this and decided to correct the route that their startup was taking. They needed to accelerate the development and launch of the app to attract investors who had already shown interest in the idea.
In this project, SPARK accelerated the validation of the app idea with prospective consumers through a two-step process.First, all the strategic information that was formulated (personas, journeys, and business model) was organized, but informally. In the second stage, the information extracted from this first one served as a basis for us to create the prototype to validate the value proposition and test the MVP in a real game situation.
The main challenge was, in addition to creating a prototyping/testing process that could help in validating the idea and refining the MVP, reformulating the app's entire business model, and leaving it ready for the investment rounds.


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SOLUTION

Creation of a fictitious competitor for refinement, value proposition validation and MVP testing, in a real game situation

Personas, Journeys and Business Remodeling

Phase 1: We turned what was informal into real information that could be analyzed
Together with the partners, we held a series of workshops to formalize personas and journeys involved in the operation of the app with customers and other parties involved in the operation. We also organized all initiatives within a business model, which made it easier to understand how we could better deliver the app's value proposition and structure the idea validation process.

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Prototyping and interviews

Phase 2: Creation of storytelling and Validation of the business ideaOnce the studies and information were organized, we extracted the necessary insights to formalize our value proposition and held a new workshop to organize the storytelling of the landing page and how the app's resources would be sold.
We decided on the strategy of confronting our business idea with a competing fictitious idea. For this, we benchmarked competing solutions in the national and international market and created a new app (Poker Wallet). In this "competitor" we not only put the best practices of other solutions but also a new way of presenting the value proposition and resources that the startup still had doubts about its effectiveness and attraction to the target audience. The idea was to analyze not only the sales pitch and features but also the UX and UI of our app in the most organic way possible.
We then move on to the testing and in-depth interviews phase. In this phase, we sought to measure not only the understanding of what the startup was selling but also, by offering a "turbocharged competitor" (Poker Wallet), to observe how our value proposition and app features would be perceived by the consumer.

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We also use this strategy to compare, analyze and reformulate the UX and UI (user experience and interface)

Poker Wallet (fictitious competitor)

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Poker Depot (app to be released)

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MVP Test

Test game with the final audience helped to refine the app and validate the value proposition of the businessAfter rounds of interviews, analysis, and adjustments, we decided it was time to present the MVP to the final audience.
A test game was organized at Morumbi Stadium (São Paulo - Brazil) with customers and potential investors to present the app and get first impressions. During testing, in addition to documentation and analysis, we work with a remote programmer from the startup for real-time bug fixes, ensuring the best customer experience.

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IMPACTS ON THE VALUE PROPOSITION AND APP RESOURCES

BEFORE
● Communication with more advertising and aesthetic appeal
●  Little explored the benefits of the app
● Communicated value proposition was not aligned with the poker player persona
● App features not fully aligned with player challenges and needs
● Unstructured storytelling
● UX and UI (user experience and interface) were more aesthetic than functional

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AFTER(Hybrid version - Poker Depot + Poker Wallet)
● Highly rated attributes and features of the "competitor app" have been incorporated into the Poker Depot app
● Simpler benefits communication and targeted to the poker player's pains
● UX and UI (user experience and interface) revamped according to player needs
● Storytelling adjusted to directly communicate the app's value proposition
● New app features implemented according to newly discovered needs

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Results

● Reformulation of the business model● Mapping processes and creating personas and journeys● Prototyping for value proposition testing● Reformulation of the website's communication language, more adapted to the Poker Player Persona and the new value proposition● New strategic partner for financial and tax operations● Acceleration of project to launch● Validation of the business idea and launch strategy map● Revamped UX and Ui (user experience and interface) of the app● Reduced UX and UI (user experience and interface) friction points of the app● Sales funnel prototyping● Creation of a "Lean Business Plan" (Lean Business Model) for presentation to investors with a projection of 3 years of operation and revenue for analysis and monitoring of the startup's evolution

CONTACT

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Address

Avenida dos Parques, 329 - 9 andarAlphaville - São Paulo - Brazil

Office hour

Mon - Friday: 09am - 6pm (Brazil time zone)

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