Participants are expected to develop a new business model for a brand-new proposed startup based on the current or foreseeable trend. Participants are required to write a thorough business plan to explain how the business model will thrive in the new business environment and satisfy people’s needs in their daily life, with detailed plan of execution. The business idea put forward should have its own unique selling point, target market and positioning.

Some examples to help you get started include:

• QB House - A fast hair cut service provider that suits the fast pace of modern life
• Africa Panda Enterprise – A travel planner that helps people to plan their itineraries in Africa, which matches the trend that more people look for special travel experience
• Food Panda - A new mobile app that provide different restaurants’ menu, online ordering and delivering services that utilise smart phone platform
• Airbnb – A platform that creates a sharing economy that utilises empty rooms, apartments and homes, which match with the behaviour known as "collaborative consumption"
• Uber - A new mobile app that upend the taxi/transportation system with on-demand drivers and dynamic pricing

2014: The Market In-Between

Participants are expected to choose a company and help them to create a new market niche that is in between two categories of existing products or services. The business idea put forward must complement the company’s existing industry, whilst having its own unique selling point, target market and positioning. Participants are required to write a thorough business plan to propose how the product or service will succeed.

Some examples include:

• Apple’s Ipad
• Apple Action News
• SNAP HK / Instant20

Assumed as business consultants, participants are expected to choose two specific companies from different industries appropriate for being united in a feasible and successful joint venture based on conjectures. They have to write a thorough business plan to propose how the new entity (or possibly, the introduction of a new good or services) can maximize their synergy effects – by mutually-utilizing the two original companies’ advantages or/ and alleviating each other’s shortcomings. The ultimate aim is to augment the joint entity’s odds of survival and to maximize profits.

Some examples include:

• Pacific Coffee Company & Xinhua Bookstore
• SCMP & local e-marketing firms
• Google & Walkman

2012: Angles of Venture

We expect to challenge participants' ability to turn a seemingly ridiculous and impossible idea into a cash cow by viewing the idea from different angles.

Participants are required to write a thorough business plan to sell a product/service in its most unconventional market, i.e. to turn an idea that sounds bad into a successful venture. Examples are, but not limited to, the following:

• Selling durian products to people who do not eat durian
• Selling cosmetics to men
• Selling tap water (by means other than water supply)
• Selling ties to women

Suppose participants are the General Manager of an international corporation. As the GM, participants need to consider how to launch their business in the new market without compromising their global brand recognition. Participants should consider the challenges, obstacles and solutions. They should also evaluate the pros and cons of all of the strategic decisions and conclude with an executive summary to the Board of Directors.

The company that the participants are working for is an established multi-national corporation with a long history bearing a household brand. It has a healthy cash flow and strong cash reserve, and is capable of making aggressive investments. The company has its headquarters in Hong Kong. The product/service is the major source of income of the company. The company's traditional market has already saturated with no significant room for growth, and that the company is looking for chances to expand into unexplored segments.

Assume you are a group of corporate consultants, proposing a feasible and comprehensive business plan with Mobile 2.0 applications – integration of Web 2.0 applications and wireless devices on mobile data services. Their plans could be a brand new venture, or an extension of currently existing business of a mobile operator. It is expected that by adopting the proposed approach, the business could achieve progressive growth, such as in sustaining profitability, growing public exposure and thus capturing more market shares.