Project Overview

As part of this year’s project, students formed teams of four to five members and developed comprehensive business start-up plans identifying and documenting key aspects such as:

• Production Analyses
• Marketing and Sales Analyses
• Projected Income Statements and Balance Sheets
• Market and Competition Analyses

Each team received support from commerce subject matter experts as well as from teachers Ms. Bankert and Ms. Lewe. Additionally, Ms. Margit Zimmern and Mr. Kim Larsen provided advice and guidance through two tutorial sessions, offering valuable insights from real-world business experience. “The tutorials helped us resolve issues with our company. It was great that the advisors tailored their guidance to our ideas,” one student noted.

Furthermore, students completed a Project Management training session with Mr. Alan Hall. This training not only covered fundamental business planning methods but also included practical exercises, such as competing in a challenge to build the most efficient paper airplane, highlighting the importance of developing goals, managing time, and maintaining flexibility in business environments. “We realized how crucial it is to make efficient decisions under time pressure and to set clear priorities,” reflected one student.

Throughout multiple project days, the teams worked tirelessly on their business ideas with the support of their teachers. “One major challenge was identifying a market gap that had not yet been sufficiently addressed,” commented one student. The teams assigned specific roles to their members: “In our project, we had a clear division of responsibilities: the Chief Executive Officer took overall responsibility, the Chief Marketing Officer handled marketing and branding, the Chief Operating Officer managed operational processes, and the Chief Financial Officer was in charge of budgeting and finances.”

A crucial aspect of the project was the ability for groups to identify and deliver on self-directed goals: students had to set and meet deadlines independently. “Besides a clear division of responsibilities, open and continuous communication was the key to our success. We had to ensure that everyone on the team was always up to date in order to work efficiently together,” explained a student. “We learned how to collaborate as a group. Each member had a role, and we had to learn how to take responsibility and meet deadlines so that, in the end, all the pieces would come together into a complete picture,” summarized another student.

Final Presentations

The project culminated in final group presentations before a distinguished jury of business professionals from the GER. Each team had 20 minutes to present their business idea, followed by a 10-minute question and answer session. “Before the pitch, we were all quite nervous about presenting in front of such a large audience. At the same time, we were excited to showcase the project we had put so much effort into,” shared a student.

The jury was highly impressed by the professionalism, enthusiasm, and quality of the presentations. Students impressed the audience with their innovative ideas and showcased their confidence in their business plans by demonstrating a well-rounded preparatory level comprehension of general business theories and concepts. “The upcoming Q&A session was a bit daunting, as it was the only element we couldn’t fully control or prepare for in advance. Nevertheless, we believe we managed to provide well-thought-out and sound answers to every question. We are especially grateful for the very positive feedback to our presentation,” one student team reflected.

The Teams’ Business Ideas

Six teams 10th grade teams developed innovative business concepts that addressed real societal needs:

• CardioCoffee: An app that encourages people to exercise by rewarding them with a free coffee for completing walks.
• Heart & Fork: A company that prepares healthy meals tailored to special diets, produced by individuals with disabilities.
• PerforMax: A fitness and health app offering customizable training and nutrition plans, including options for individuals with health challenges.
• Golden Nature Retreat: A wellness and adventure retreat in Colorado designed to provide stressed individuals with a nature getaway.
• Amerigo Container Homes LLC: A company developing sustainable housing solutions through container home construction.
• Dogture Bites: A sustainable dog food brand that combines healthy nutrition for dogs with environmental responsibility.