Jack Sherman
- Refine the income statement for your venture.
2. Refine the capital expenditure budget
3. Identify two SPECIFIC funding sources for the design phase of your project and two SPECIFIC funding sources for the dissemination (implementation / distribution / commercialization) phase of your project. For each funding source, explain why this is a good fit for your project, and what SPECIFIC aspect of your project might the funding source support.
Design:
1. American Society of Interior Designers. We applied for the Joel Polsky Academic Achievement Award which has the following description:
“The Joel Polsky Academic Achievement Award recognizes an outstanding interior design research project or thesis project conducted by an undergraduate or graduate student. This project or thesis should be related to wellness and design. Research papers or theses should address topics such as educational research, behavioral science, business practice, design process, theory, or other technical subjects. Entries will be judged on quality of content, breadth of material, comprehensive coverage of topic, innovative subject matter, bibliography, and references.”
This helps us in the design stage.
2. The Biophilic Cities Project: This project is a global initiative focused on promoting nature in urban environments. They offer grants for projects that promote biophilic design principles, which emphasize the importance of connecting people with nature in the built environment. We can use this funding to aid in customer outreach efforts and marketing to developers who are interested in incorporating more biophilic-oriented design concepts.
Implementation:
1. Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ): During a meeting we conducted with Michael Lehman he recommended this incentive program that is designed to help young KIZ companies to transition through all stages of growth. It provides tax credits to for-profit companies that are less than eight years old operating. We would be able to partner with the KIZ targeted industry segment that is located in Pennsylvania to help grow our start up company.
2. Lehigh’s SBDC: We can work with the SBDC to identify and apply for patents or other forms of intellectual property. They also serve as a gateway to funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4. Identify five specific partnerships that you need to forge to advance your project forward with the ultimate goal of positively impacting at least one million people. Describe exactly how that partnership might help you achieve scale and why that entity might be willing to work with you.
- Urban Outfitters
Will purchase product to be incorporated in retail settings or office spaces to increase awareness to potential consumers
- Work Bistro
We have partnered with the organization Work Bistro which is a
coworking space company, in the past where we have acquired a recommendation letter that was utilized for the past the grant that we applied for. We can leverage this relationship to put our product in their coworking spaces, which are seen as progressive and can aid in establishing our brands image and awareness.
- Astellas Pharma Global Development with Maureen Swartz:
An interior designer for bio corporate office spaces. We gained her contact information during the exposition we did for admitted students. She explained to us that as an interior designer for the company’s office space she was trying to make t
he office space more inviting to bring people back to the office. She expressed intensive interest in implementing something like the EcoRealm into these office spaces.
- The International WELL Building Institute:
Helps in marketing efforts by communicating the importance of biophilia to potential customers and finding locations of high demand.
- Sway
Same founder as Work Bistro, similar purpose except focuses more on hospitality which might allow us to branch between industries.