Startup Strategies: Luna & Untapped Solutions Reveal Keys to Niche Market Success
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A new podcast series, Build Mode, is dissecting the go-to-market strategies of emerging companies, offering valuable lessons for entrepreneurs and marketers.
The latest episode of Build Mode delves into the innovative approaches taken by two 2024 Startup Battlefield competitors: Luna, a well-being app for girls, and Untapped Solutions, a platform connecting formerly incarcerated individuals with employment opportunities. Hosted by Startup Battlefield editor Isabelle Johannessen, the discussion highlights the challenges and triumphs of reaching highly specific customer segments. This follows an initial episode exploring customer-centric company building with Forethought AI co-founder Deon Nicholas.
Bridging the Generational Gap: Luna’s Immersive Research
For Luna, a significant hurdle was the disconnect between the founders and their target demographic. Recognizing that they were no longer representative of teenage girls, Jas Schembri-Stothart and her team adopted a remarkably direct approach to market research. They embarked on a tour of U.K. schools, actively soliciting feedback from students.
“They were basically getting grilled” by students, according to the podcast, but this rigorous questioning yielded invaluable insights. The students didn’t just offer criticism; they expressed genuine interest in contributing to the app’s development. This led to the formation of a dedicated group of brand ambassadors – “behind the scenes queens” working on the app itself and content creators promoting it on social media.
This internal go-to-market team extended its reach to real-world activations, strategically setting up shop at events like Taylor Swift concerts, capitalizing on the concentrated presence of their target audience. This demonstrates the power of immersive research and co-creation in building a product that truly resonates with its intended users.
Untapped Potential: Deploying Tech in a Neglected Space
Untapped Solutions, dubbed the “LinkedIn for the formerly incarcerated,” faced a different set of challenges. Founder Andre Peart needed to ensure the platform was accessible to individuals navigating the complexities of reentry into society. This required a strategic deployment plan focused on locations where this population could readily access the technology.
Recognizing the lack of existing tech solutions in this space, Untapped Solutions aggressively pursued speaking engagements and established the National Reentry Coalition, hosting its inaugural event this April. These efforts, combined with partnerships with agencies supporting the approximately 600,000 people released from prison annually, have dramatically increased the platform’s reach.
“We’re in almost every prison system,” Peart stated, highlighting the platform’s growing ubiquity. “So if you’re on a tablet, you already have Untapped.” This illustrates the importance of strategic partnerships and community building in penetrating underserved markets.
For the full episode’s insights, viewers can access the video above, or subscribe to Build Mode on their preferred podcast platform. Listeners are encouraged to leave a review or provide feedback directly to the team at [email protected].
