An MBA team identified U.S. market entry opportunities and competitive price points for a differentiated lighting technology already used elsewhere globally. This lighting technology has productivity and safety applications in a wide variety of commercial settings. The California Lighting Technology Center shared the team’s findings with its funders to shape future go-to-market plans.

Thriving Pink is a nonprofit organization focused on meeting the needs of cancer patients and their families and loved ones. An MBA student team analyzed the potential to expand Thriving Pink’s services regionally, and the organization’s leadership incorporated the team’s findings into its long-term planning.

This Davis-based company has developed novel sweet proteins for food and beverages. An MBA team analyzed country-specific regulations and regional taste preferences to identify market expansion opportunities for these differentiated sweeteners.

• This project sought to modernize the interview process as part of the talent acquisition system in the Human Resources department. The student team conducted research and provided recommended solutions for standardizing and updating the interview process in order to meet institutional compliance and strategic goals. 

• As the U.S. workforce continues to evolve and change, how will Starbucks continue to attract and retain top talent? Through an analysis of partner (employee) sentiment, management interviews, evaluation of current market trends and competitive analysis, the team identified gaps and provided recommendations for a three-year talent retention plan.

• Market-leading American health and wellness enterprise wanted to explore how they might enter the personalized nutrition market to improve user health outcomes and create a new growth trajectory. The team developed recommendations based on discovery findings and company capabilities to deliver a financial analysis and business case for market entry.

• Manufacturer of world-class LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensing devices for a variety of vertical markets sought a team to identify how autonomic vehicles could transform the relationship between domestic overland transportation and the logistics ecosystem, and to demonstrate cost-and lifesaving ideas based on the capabilities of LiDAR usage.

• The MBA team was asked how this Business Process Intelligence unit should position itself through a competitor positioning analysis and an examination of market sizes (TAM, SAM, SOM); the team identified market trends, industry-specific user needs and pain points, and created an evaluation framework for selected industries to assess market maturity.

• MedSim is a web-based patient simulator developed by UC Davis cardiovascular and thoracic anesthesiologist allowing trainees and practitioners to gain experience in a replicable, low-risk setting. The goal of the project was to provide recommendations on how best to commercialize the product, develop market analysis and marketing strategy, pilot with user base to test viability of marketing strategies.

• This boutique startup contracts with farmers to grow heritage wheat locally, fairly, and sustainably to make flour, breads, and pasta. The company received a thorough analysis of variables that inform pricing strategy, customer segmentation analysis and recommendations on product pricing, consumer education and brand strategy.

• Provided direction surrounding opportunities to expand the scope of demand for spices in a targeted $20B+ industry including segmentation, identifying possible entry points, product format recommendations, and go-to-market and channel positioning strategy.

• Identified three, high-value opportunities for the company to pursue in the energy solution space to make effective use of renewable energy to meet carbon neutral company goals, specifically, opportunities that utilize renewable energy such as solar power generation, offshore wind power generation, fuel cells, mobile batteries, and battery systems for electric vehicles through a PEST analysis.

• Explored exporting products to the U.S. with the goal of positioning high-end Moroccan olive oil to be competitive with European brands through market research (including FDA requirements and process for U.S. market distribution), competitive assessment and target markets, buyer value analysis, go-to-market plan and delivery roadmap.

• Project supported the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) team; interviewed team members to understand and codify internal best practices, determined pain points and analyzed solutions, integrated market-leading best practices and recommended Agile approach for the organization.

• Determined resources necessary to support and sustain palliative care clinic based upon recent growth and projected demand; demonstrated impact and key variables in allocating resources and support, organizational structure needs and defining the value proposition of the clinic to the health care system.