Pain Point and Solution
While educators are turning towards broad platforms like GAFE and Fresh Grade to implement sweeping changes to their practice, many teachers remain reluctant to modernize. Teachers cite lack of time and resources as barriers to unlocking the potential of technological opportunities, while others are hesitant to commit themselves to an educational environment that is so dependent on technology, be it hardware, software, or internet accessibility.
Step by Step seeks to act as a stepping stone towards larger integration of technology in education. We start by focusing on solving simple problems faced by everyday teachers. In the case of Step by Step, the problem is how to allow teachers of all disciplines to transfer their student’s work and assessment into a digital state – where it can be shared and stored however a teacher sees fit – without committing to using a proprietary platform or technology that demands time and energy from the teacher to become familiar with and to justify using. Many teachers want technology that simply helps them, not technology that forces them to reinvent the wheel.
Step by Step’s simple solution is to solve one problem at a time, and allow teachers to gradually wade into the depths of educational technology. Our software allows teachers to quickly and easier capture, sort, and store student work and student assessment, so that teachers can decide how best to use that data.
Step by Step seeks to act as a stepping stone towards larger integration of technology in education. We start by focusing on solving simple problems faced by everyday teachers. In the case of Step by Step, the problem is how to allow teachers of all disciplines to transfer their student’s work and assessment into a digital state – where it can be shared and stored however a teacher sees fit – without committing to using a proprietary platform or technology that demands time and energy from the teacher to become familiar with and to justify using. Many teachers want technology that simply helps them, not technology that forces them to reinvent the wheel.
Step by Step’s simple solution is to solve one problem at a time, and allow teachers to gradually wade into the depths of educational technology. Our software allows teachers to quickly and easier capture, sort, and store student work and student assessment, so that teachers can decide how best to use that data.
Competition and Differentiation
Companies like Google and FreshGrade loom large over our growth. However, these companies and their products are currently aimed towards innovators, early adopters, and early majority users of integrated and collaborative educational system solutions that require constant use of technology and access to the internet. Step by Step plans to enter into and grow in this market by catering to the needs of early majority, late majority, and laggard technology users in a way that is encouraging instead of proscriptive. Our software solutions will not force users into changing assessment or communication practices, but will instead allow them to better transition to more complicated and robust platforms like GAFE and FreshGrade.
If Google’s 70 million GAFE users represent the innovators and early majority of educators using integrative online software solutions, then the market is ripe for aiding the late majority and laggards in moving in the same direction. We feel there is substantial market share to be captured in fulfilling this niche.
Marketing and Revenue
Step by Step will be marketed towards individuals and entities in the education industry. At launch, the software will be marketed through various advertisement strategies on Google, Facebook, and other social media platforms. The computer software will be available through our company website, while a mobile app version of Step by Step – similar to Evernote Scannable - will be available for IOS and Android systems through their respective app stores and our website.
Pricing for all versions of the software will be based on a freemium strategy. The initial software will be free for use, with a tiered option available that supports cloud storage of files. A further tier will be available in the coming year that links users in a particular group (i.e. class or school).
Pricing for all versions of the software will be based on a freemium strategy. The initial software will be free for use, with a tiered option available that supports cloud storage of files. A further tier will be available in the coming year that links users in a particular group (i.e. class or school).
While the simple effectiveness of Step by Step is being enjoyed by our client base, the company plans to continue with its growth strategy in two ways:
1. Continue to offer free and pay-to-upgrade solutions to clients in a variety of ways that help bridge 20th century practice with 21st century technology and pedagogy. Step by Step Labs is currently working on a variety of software solutions that allow teachers to efficiently and easily randomize and customize assessment for individual students. As the number of these software solutions grows, Step by Step plans to offer a suite of fully functional educational software solutions at a price.
2. Step by Step will leverage the content it allows its users to manipulate in order to develop opportunities in the e-portfolio industry. We envision Step by Step assisting teachers and administrators using our software to help craft student, class, and entire school e-portfolios that will take advantage of the latest virtual reality and augmented reality technology.
1. Continue to offer free and pay-to-upgrade solutions to clients in a variety of ways that help bridge 20th century practice with 21st century technology and pedagogy. Step by Step Labs is currently working on a variety of software solutions that allow teachers to efficiently and easily randomize and customize assessment for individual students. As the number of these software solutions grows, Step by Step plans to offer a suite of fully functional educational software solutions at a price.
2. Step by Step will leverage the content it allows its users to manipulate in order to develop opportunities in the e-portfolio industry. We envision Step by Step assisting teachers and administrators using our software to help craft student, class, and entire school e-portfolios that will take advantage of the latest virtual reality and augmented reality technology.
Investment Opportunity
Step by Step has already received $1 million in seed funding, and is looking for an additional $1 million to help launch our initial software, run an aggressive online marketing campaign, and to continue development of additional software as well as our e-portfolio platform.
Current forecast predicts a 10 month time to revenue, with a 16 month time to profitability.
Current forecast predicts a 10 month time to revenue, with a 16 month time to profitability.