This thesis will bring together students to engage in entrepreneurship by finding, measuring and sharing strategic market opportunities. From a student’s perspective, it will take a deep dive into the world of startup ecosystems, markets and trends utilizing both qualitative and quantitative market research techniques. The information gathered has been curated into a productive, meaningful manner, through a report titled “The State of Startups: A Student Perspective.” <br/> The first key theme of this thesis is that market intelligence can be a powerful tool. The second key theme is the power of knowledge implementation towards competitive strategies. The first section of the thesis will focus on identifying and understanding the current “startup” landscape as a basis on which to build strategic and impactful business decisions. This will be accomplished as the team conducts a landscape analysis focused on the student perspective of the student-based North American “entrepreneurial” ecosystem. The second section of the thesis will focus specifically on the personal experiences of student startup founders. This will be accomplished through the analysis of interviews with founders of the startups researched from the first section of the thesis. This will provide us with a direct insight into the student perspective of the student-based North American “entrepreneurial” ecosystem.

This Thesis Project was completed to gain experience in how to create a viable business concept pitch as part of the start-up venture process. During the course of the project the company name–“Vibes Clothing”–and business proposition–“To provide fashion-minded athletic individuals with stylish, versatile, and fully functional luminescent clothing.”–were conceived. However, to further develop the company idea into a viable business concept, market analysis, and customer research were conducted. The identified market conditions and customer desires were then utilized to refine Vibes Clothing's logo, brand, and product. These business and design considerations were then strategically implemented in a men’s-model luminescent clothing prototype. As a further part of ‘the creation of a business concept pitch’–typical of one given at a pitch competition or to a group of investors–a business executive summary and funding pitch presentation were also created. Ultimately, this Thesis Project successfully culminated as a formal business concept pitch; wherein a functional display prototype, business executive summary, and funding pitch presentation were all developed.