About the company

Name of the company:

Glia

Short Description of what the company does:

Tarek: Creates Free and open hardware medical devices that are easily produced in hostile and resource-poor environments

Spencer: Glia is a company focused on the development and implementation of first world medical devices to be used in third world or other inaccessible settings. Glia aims to make these deivces both accessible and affordable to raise the standard of care across underserviced regions.

Amy: Glia will design, manufacture, freely distribute and sell gold standard medical tools at extremely low costs, but also offer specialization and customization of these tools. Beyond selling the products, we are considering offering consulting services to teach health departments of governments throughout the Global South, so they will have the capacity and training necessary to print the tools themselves.

Company’s mission statement:

Tarek: To facilitate and enhance medical care for patients regardless of where they are and the resources available to them.

Spencer: Supply 1rst world care in a third world setting

Amy: GliaX products will match the market gold standards for a fraction of the price, allowing for more equitable + accessible medical care resources worldwide.

T: 5 Core values of the company:

1. Freely accessible and promotes Freedom
2. High Quality medical devices that are dependable, reliable and accurate
3. To (eventually) expand and innovate medical devices in a Free and Open way

S: 5 Core values of the company:

1. Equity
2. Transparency
3. Flexibility
4. Application of results
5. Quality.

A: 5 Core values of the company:

1. Access across borders
2. Excellent/gold standard quality products (accurate, etc).
3. Skill/knowledge sharing (consulting and ensuring that technicians throughout the world can learn how to)
4. Transparency (open source)
5. Needs based (which tools will have the greatest impact).

Competitive benchmarking

Tarek: Who is the target audience(s) (for your communications/for your products-services):

• Frontline healthcare providers
• Ministries of health and hospital systems that want to provide high quality medical devices at low cost.

What are some of their (your audience’s) interests/hobbies:

• Providing high quality medical care.

Who are your main competitors:

• Medical device manufacturers who may want to lock down markets for future growth
• NGOs with great ideas but bad politics.

What differentiates your offering from your competitors:

• Better politics
• Lower cost
• More customizable devices / more versatility

Are there concrete proofs (technology, infrastructure, public perception) that substantiate this diffentiation:

• I guess not?

What does the marketplace “look” like (competitors and other related industries/companies):

• I don't understand this question (TL)

Spencer: Who is the target audience(s) (for your communications/for your products-services): First world medical professionals (I am unsure about this question)

What are some of their (your audience’s) interests/hobbies: Medicine and technology

Who are your main competitors: At our desired price point I don't believe there are many competitors. For the actual devices there are numerous companies producing similar products

What differentiates your offering from your competitors: Simplicity, availability and open source nature of devices

Are there concrete proofs (technology, infrastructure, public perception) that substantiate this diffentiation: There will be benchmarketing showing our devices preform as good or better than current first world standards.

What does the marketplace “look” like (competitors and other related industries/companies): (I am unsure about this question)

Amy: Who is the target audience(s) (for your communications/for your products-services): Organizations with the largest reach and capacity to get the tools out there. (Doctors without borders, WHO).

What are some of their (your audience’s) interests/hobbies: Giving the best health care service possible.

Who are your main competitors: Large, wealth, pharmaceutical companies who manufacture medical devices.

What differentiates your offering from your competitors: New manufacturing method. Dramatic cost difference. Solid solidarity politics.

Are there concrete proofs (technology, infrastructure, public perception) that substantiate this diffentiation: The tools are 3d printed!!! THE FUTURE IS HERE!

What does the marketplace “look” like (competitors and other related industries/companies): Big pharma slick designs. (main stethoscope competitor, produce the Littmann http://www.3m.com/intl/ca/index.html?WT.mc_id=www.3m.com/canada)

Personality

Tarek: If the company were a person, how would you describe them: (ie. Energetic, Friendly, Casual, Formal, Serious, Funny, Calm, Authoritive, Resourceful, Trustworthy, etc.)

• Trustworthy
• Resourceful
• Reliable

Is there a particular colour or colours that come to mind that seem to “fit”:

• Nothing specific

If the company were to have a “slogan”, what would it be:

• Free as in Freedom.
• Medicine you can believe in.

Identify 5 keywords that describe the company, and how you want it to be perceived:

• Ethical
• Honest
• Generous
• Trustworthy
• Reliable

Spencer:

If the company were a person, how would you describe them: (ie. Energetic, Friendly, Casual, Formal, Serious, Funny, Calm, Authoritive, Resourceful, Trustworthy, etc.) Curious and motivated

Is there a particular colour or colours that come to mind that seem to “fit”: blue/white (white is always medicine, blue because it is netural)

If the company were to have a “slogan”, what would it be: Equal care for all

Identify 5 keywords that describe the company, and how you want it to be perceived: Focused, progressive, accessible, altruistic, impactful

Amy: If the company were a person, how would you describe them: Empathetic, super bright, slightly serious but kind, team oriented.

Is there a particular colour or colours that come to mind that seem to “fit”: I see silver (techy and 'futuristic', white (medical) and blue (medical) being good fits.

If the company were to have a “slogan”, what would it be <T H E R E V O L U T I O N H A S A R R I V E D : 3 D PRINTED OPEN SOURCED H A R D W A R E / S O F T W A R E M E D I C A L T O O L S FOR ALL>

Identify 5 keywords that describe the company, and how you want it to be perceived:

1. Accessible
2. Innovative
3. Affordable
4. Global
5. Excellent performance.

Assets

What visual material do you already have, or in the process of developing:

• None.

What are the key materials that will need to be developed for communication, and in what order:

• Logo / brand
• Business Cards
• Website front page

Spencer: What visual material do you already have, or in the process of developing: (I am unsure about this question) What are the key materials that will need to be developed for communication, and in what order: (I am unsure about this question)

Amy: What visual material do you already have, or in the process of developing None.

What are the key materials that will need to be developed for communication, and in what order:

1. Logo/brand that can be extend to our website, business cards, website, pamphlets, videos.

Marketing

Tarek: Brief overview of the marketing/communications strategy. (How will you reach and communicate with your target audience):

• Largely through individual interactions in meetings and scientific conferences.

Amy: Strong online presence, (TED TALK, slick website with video on site). Face to face meeting with key organizations/institutions/collaborators. Do circuit of medical conferences.