How Glac-UP saves glaciers and tackles climate change topics

01/08/2022

Sommersemester 2022 / Glac-UP

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Glac-UP is an Italian Start-Up, founded by four students from Bocconi University. Operating with local ski resorts, such as the Presena Glacier, Glac-UP offers regional solutions to help protect the alpine region. In cooperation with the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the company wishes to create a Business Plan to take their business to the next level.

Goal

Glac-UP was born on a mission to protect and enhance the value of Alpine Glaciers. The company executes its mission on a twofold way. On one side, Glac-UP team raises awareness on the topic of climate change, its triggering factors and its consequences. To do so, Glac-UP exploits social media channels, newsletters and workshops designed on the need of customers. On the other side, Glac-UP promotes high-value local projects, that benefit specific glaciers in the Alps. These projects are supported by individual customers and sponsoring corporations. A first project involves the active protection of Presena Glacier, by the means of reflective tarpaulins. Another one, has to do with clean-up activities. To further grow their business, throughout the E&I project course, a market analysis, conduction of a survey and the finding of new possibilities to implement in their Start-UP were of great importance. Thus, based on the findings, a business plan was to be created.

Methodology

To empathize with various possible future customers, not only a survey was conducted but also expert interviews. This helped to gain valuable insights on this specific topic.

Results

The extensive market analysis, the analysis of the most promising comparables and the survey reveal that there is great need for consulting services as well as education classes for businesses on how to act sustainable. With that in mind the business plan was created with the conceptualization of five products/services. These consist, beside of their original product the “glacier adoption packages”, of collaborations with Glac-UP, Glacier clean-up activities, education- and consulting services. Eventually, with the created Business plan, Glac-UP is ready to further grow their business and the whole alpine region can now be glaced-up.

Cooperation Partner

Contact Person

  • Giovanni Cartapani
    giovanni.cartapani@glacup.com

Student Team

  • Jakob Grössing

  • Florian Gradinger

  • Claudio Lercher

  • Jonas Sprenger

  • Johanna Engelberger

Project Manager

  • Alessio Delpero, Ph.D., MBA

  • Richard Olbrecht, MSc (WU