Apply by November 11th at this link: https://forms.gle/UZzEbHFQayNJf7uE9
Early Growth Strategy
Determine the growth strategy for an early-stage venture. Mercury Health has existing sales and partnerships
with key customers across two markets. The Founders are pursuing the first round of funding and seek
recommendations on growth scenarios based on a projected level of investment. The Venture Fellows Team
will work with the Founders, and a Mentor and use the company’s initial Pro-forma financials, in-depth
conversations with existing customers, and market research to develop a milestone-based growth plan.
As part of this project, the Team may revise the financials, provide deep analysis and recommendations on
the company’s value to long-term care/memory-care facilities, and conduct deep research into the
company’s market framework, particularly providing analysis of top customers (B-to-B) in each of the
company’s two main segments – assisted living and memory care facilities and the home care markets.
Benefit:
• Hands-on experience working as a team with a nascent and highly viable start-up and experienced
mentor on a critical stage of a start-up’s growth. Students will be able to include their participation on
their resume and a letter of completion from the Center, pending a final review by the Science Lead,
Mentor, and the Center’s Executive Director.
• Credit (2 Units): One unit for Fall 2022 and one unit for Winter 2023. Rady students may apply the
project toward a 499 Independent Study. Other students may check with their home department on the
application for credit.
• Non-Credit: Students may elect to participate in the project without academic credit.
Deliverables
Fall 2022:
B2B Customer Value Analysis – generate metrics around how much business value the company can
provide two key customer segments
• Assisted Living and/or Memory Care Facilities: Determine the scaled value that AI-augmented
caregiving provides facilities using metrics collected internally and directly from business partners.
Verify this analysis with the customers. (2 pages)
• In-Home Care: Determine the business growth/sales model for new AI-augmented caregiving for
partners providing in-home care. (2 pages)
Winter 2022:
B2B Customer Market Analysis – conduct deep research into the top 4-5 customers in each of the two
markets; evaluate their place /size in the market, current technologies used, sales cycles, sales and
distribution channels used to engage these customers; tradeshows and trade publications used by each
market, etc. (3-5 page report)
Time Frame/Commitment
Fall 2022: 4-5 weeks for 3-43 hours per week, including one mandatory weekly call with the founders and
the mentor. One final session will be scheduled to review the project to date and assess the deliverables.
Winter 2022: 4-5 weeks for 3-4 hours per week, including a mandatory weekly call with the founders and
the mentor. One final session of 60-90 minutes to review the entire project, assess the deliverables, and
review the Venture Fellows process.
Expectations
The Fellow(s) will work diligently and professionally with the Center’s Executive Director, the Founders, and
the Mentor. The Fellows are expected to work collaboratively and to support each other toward the
successful completion of the project. The Fellow(s) will meet for 60-90 minutes for a kick-off meeting with
the leadership team and others relevant to the project.
The Fellows are expected to work as a team and independently and meet with the Mentor and the
Founders for approximately 60 minutes once a week for the project duration to report on progress and
discuss any questions or issues. The Team may also be required to meet and report to the Center’s
Executive Director or others on a more regular basis.