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We were also represented as a member of the ZIM programme with the international project "Artificial Intelligence @ Point Of Sale". Driven by the vision of using smart solutions to ensure sustainability in regional retail and thus assert ourselves against international chains, we, as network managers from companies in a wide range of sectors, took the opportunity to receive a lot of positive feedback for our idea and thus met many interesting people and made new, exciting contacts.

In cooperation with the innovation laboratory of an internationally active sanitary products manufacturer, the need and market potential of a new type of dog shower was investigated. In a multi-stage research design, a target group analysis and demand exploration was first carried out in the USA as the main potential market. Afterwards, different product claims of the dog shower were validated on the basis of these findings in Germany. The goal was to be able to use these insights effectively in marketing.

On behalf of the German Federal Environment Agency, we prepared an international guideline for the introduction of "Circular Economy" - sustainable circular economy - in one's own business model and company. The guideline aims to accompany small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on their way "from idea to market" and is intended to support the evaluation and practical implementation of EcoDesign from an economic point of view.

Our own first retail experience taught us: There is a lot of need for optimization here! This is what the international network for the 'Development of Smart Solutions for Retail 4.0' is intended to serve. It bundles the startups and SMEs from our cosmos and enables entirely new technological innovations through clever combinations of expertise. In 2020, we launched the ZIM innovation network, in which both SMEs and renowned research institutions participate.

When analyzing data from the tool “Sleep Analyzer”, a significant increase in sleep score (p = 0.02) was found within the hypnosis group. Moreover, this increase was linear by 0.5 points per night. Follow-up results confirmed a medium-term effect of the hypnosis intervention over 4 weeks. Thus: Hypnosis is suitable for use in sleep disturbance problems. The greatest effects are shown in the everyday feeling regarding the degree of exhaustion!

Artisan equips so-called exhibition bunks in furniture stores with fine pieces of furniture. Exhibited products are also sold well. Other, non-displayed combinations are difficult for customers to imagine, so they are rarely sold. A novel solution was sought that would free the customer's imagination from concrete sample pieces and deliver an equally realistic shopping experience. Self-configurable variants were to be combined with real haptics.

The central component of the project was the exploration of the appeal of different features of an innovative thermostat attachment for the domestic shower. Based on the results, the product does appeal to a specific target group. This target group is characterized primarily by a high income and is predominantly male. The product therefore has a good chance of succeeding in the current market.

By creating the right study design, which is individually adapted to each project in close consultation with the client, it is also possible to gain critical and private insights into the target population - such as in this case preferences and dislikes in the sexual behavior of Germans.

If a startup wants to place its product in a classic supermarket in Germany, it gets quite expensive. Up to €50,000 is required for a listing. This investment is justified by the fact that the supermarket is taking a high risk because the sales are completely unknown. In 2018, we changed that! The Feedback Factory was born out of a vision to help young companies enter the retail market faster and easier.

The added value and importance of personae in customer-centric business development are mostly known. Resources for their creation seem so easily rationable because these archetypal users can be derived by marketeers themselves with the help of creativity techniques. However, if they are to be the basis for product development, content creation, marketing, and customer care, they would have to be really accurate.

The product studied was a learning platform that offers students in grades one to 13 an extracurricular opportunity to learn the material covered in school. The goal of the project was to analyze drivers and inhibitors in the use of the learning platform among newly acquired users and long-term subscribers and to identify recommendations for action. Which obstacles to daily use and which individual aspects of the value proposition can be identified?

With the results of the statistical research study, customers could be suggested concrete measures that would have the greatest leverage on the mental health, motivation, and retention of their own employees. This is a unique mechanism on the market - similar to patented matching algorithms of established dating platforms. Empirical methods helped to develop and statistically validate a unique selling point in the scoring and matching logic.