danishaw
Diophantapp- A dynamic graphing calculator for your smartphone, iPod, and iPad
is the latest graphing application for smartphones, iPads, and iPod touches. It is easy to use and a cost effective alternative to costly graphing calculators that serve a single purpose. Diophantapp makes use of the current, “Bring Your Own Device” trend and empowers the 21st century learner who has access to the technology. Now students […]
Continue reading Diophantapp- A dynamic graphing calculator for your smartphone, iPod, and iPad Posted in: Venture Forum
vawells 4:53 pm on July 30, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Danielle
I really enjoyed viewing your elevator pitch. The images and music were well matched and held my attention throughout the pitch. It almost felt I was watching a very slick commercial for the product. Your idea of capitalizing on BYOD and smartphones is a realistic venture that would certainly have a niche in the market. However, as an EVA, I would have liked to have seen you deliver the pitch to give me a sense of the person behind the venture. Giving investors a chance to see firsthand your commitment and passion for your venture might entice them to investigate your venture further.
Good luck with your future ventures
Valerie
danishaw 5:18 am on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Valerie,
I did consider delving deeper into my history as an inventor, however I wanted to deliver the product to the viewers rather than me as a creator. As with some other pitches, I find the first hand deliverance to be more of a distraction and can make the pitch seem amateur; in fact the opposite effect 🙁
I appreciate your input. All the best!
Danielle
unclereg 9:16 pm on July 30, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hello Danielle,
I love the catchy song and fade-in/fade-out descriptions.
Though still a little unsure of the idea. Does the smartphone app have all the same functions as a real graphing calculator? What happens in K-12 education when you want to use the graphing calculator app when your teacher allows no cell phones to be used during class/test? I would love to have a device such as this to at least make the screen appear brighter and more crisp than those old ti-85’s…lol. It’s as if texas instrument has never heard of backlighting the screen. Yes something has to be done to make the ti graphing calculator more vibrant, but the idea also needs to comply with school/class rules. Thanks Dani.
-Regen
danishaw 5:27 am on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Regan,
If you take a minute to delve deeper into the EVA, you will see the feature of the app expanded upon. In doing so, I have outlined the elements that differentiates it from other products on the market (both calculators and apps). Furthermore, I have also included the “no cell phone zone” as a potential barrier. This being said, as we have learned from our classmates the BYOD movement is often evident within various business environments and I believe, will be capitalized upon within educational learning environments as decision makers advance their knowledge on policies, procedures, and governance of such devices. I would suggest that as the net generation ages (I am one) and move into administrative roles within the school system, we will see major changes. Until then, we will see a blend of technology use policy.
Thanks for your input. All the best!
Danielle
Deborah S 8:53 am on July 31, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Danielle,
This is a great idea! I enjoyed your elevator pitch, but as Valerie pointed out, it would have been helpful for you to appear in the video to secure more buy-in.
The venture plan contained some good information including the identification of potential barriers. My school does not permit cell phones or other devices and we have not purchased iPads or iPods for student use. I am also concerned about the potential digital divide that might be exacerbated as not as students have access to the technology required to run this app.
I thought you did a good job of identifying your competition and summarizing your marketing plan. I was curious though as to why you chose Finland, Australia and Singapore to be your phase II target countries.
Good luck!
Deborah
danishaw 5:41 am on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Deborah,
If we revisit the article written by Lisa Nielsen on the BYOD movement, she addresses your concern about creating a deeper digital divide. This being said, I think it is pertinent that schools create opportunities for students to have access to such technology to equip them with the 21st century competencies needed in the workforce. If we do not provide such, I would argue we are dis-servicing our students very similar to not teaching them the basic skills of math or language.
The choice of the countries to be included for phase 2 came from cross-referencing the countries who: 1) are advancing their policies on general technology and graphing technology use within educational environments and 2) have the highest access to smartphone and iOS technology. Ultimately an interesting (and somewhat disparate) grouping, I agree. However, it would be important to launch in areas whereby both educational and technological policy supported the app.
I appreciate your input. All the best!
Danielle
Link to the article aforementioned: http://thejournal.com/articles/2011/11/09/7-byod-myths.aspx
Leonora Zefi 8:04 pm on July 31, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
A very cool idea Dani.
Elevator pitch message
I was intrigued about the concept of the app and wanted to learn more about it right away. It would have been helpful to have more specific information about the app.
I can see by looking the credentials that the venture has a knowledgeable and credible CEO. A video “address” would make the investor feel more confident.
Concept
I like how you made the connection with BYOD(T). Your analysis of the barriers is very good – many schools and universities don’t allow cell phones during exams so the learners would still need the graphic calculator.
Marketability
The smart phone market is huge but that may not be true for this app. As you stated in you analysis, this is good tool to entice learners to use the app because it’s not the usual “calculator” – this may definitely be a selling feature.
I appreciated the research you have done on overseas market – it would have been very helpful to compare the barriers between the North American and other markets to show growth potential. You showed that in Finland students are allowed to use symbolic calculators but showing if that includes both learning and tests/exams would have been helpful for the investor to see the potential.
Great idea and good research Dani.
Thanks,
Leonora
danishaw 5:53 am on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Lenora,
I appreciate your input as to how I could improve upon the concept. I found it difficult to determine how much information should be required within the pitch and the venture analysis. Because students are yet to be allowed to use such on tests and exams, I believe pitching thus as a learning tool rather than solely as a test/exam scaffold could address the issues you mentioned. If educators promoted the app, students could perhaps deepen their understanding of complex and abstract concepts therefore warranting the purchase of it.
All the best,
Danielle
Leonora Zefi 4:27 pm on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Danielle,
I can so appreciate the difficulty with balancing how much detailed information to include in the pitch. I had the same issue.
Enjoy the rest of your summer.
Leonora
chrisaitken 12:19 am on August 1, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I do like this idea. I agree that smart phones will soon be ubiquitous is some schools districts. Students will turn to their mobiles for all sorts of educational content such as textbooks, bookmarks, blogging, and specific apps such as a graphic calculator. I think if that app were good enough to get recommended by teachers, it could take off. As an investor, I would have to be convinced however that it is in some way superior to the other graphic calculator apps. A quick search in the app store showed that there are several – many of them free. As an investor I would need to know more about the revenue stream, product differentiation, and market plan to educators.
danishaw 5:58 am on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Chris,
The idea for my app came about from using the free apps I mentioned within my EVA. Although a lot of them are great, basic apps to use within grade 9 math, I thought they could be improved upon by including the extra features such as: real-world images, color, and 3d modeling. I guess the price of the app would have to reflect these features and the price of the competition.
Thanks for the input. All the best!
Danielle
ping 1:01 pm on August 1, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Danielle,
I really enjoy watching your pitch. You academic background is impressively solid for this venture. I agree with you that there is a really big market for graphical calculators on mobile devices. As an investor, I need to be know more about competitive advantages of your product. You give 3 competitors in the “competition” page, but it would be more helpful to include Diophantus in the list to make the differentiation more visible.
I didn’t find the price strategy of Diophantus in the pitch, did I miss something? Will you sell it by license (eg. $1/download like other apps) , or will you let it go free but open other tunnels to return money? I’d ask for a clearer business model that could ensure the market share as well as my compensation. Another concern is: do you plan to develop Diophantus on other types of devices, such as Android, WM7 or Symbian? The increase of device types will lead to an surely increase of R&D & marketing cost.
Good luck to your calculator, I’ll be interested to use it when it’s available.
Ping
danishaw 6:02 am on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Ping,
I appreciate your feedback. As for the price, the plan was to launch it as a free app in phase one. As for charging additional fees, it would have to be determined after the PD was completed. Because it was an ambitious project, my main focus would be to remain within the smartphone, iOS market until the company gained competencies within other areas, as I am a lone soldier as of now!
All the best,
Danielle
karonw 7:25 pm on August 1, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Danielle,
Brilliant idea for your venture! As mobile devices (smartphones, iPads, iPods) have somewhat became a daily necessity to many of us nowadays, this venture would sure be able to continue to grow along with the mobile device trend. I think you have articulated your venture pitch quite well and delivered the core ideas to your audience. As for your elevator pitch, I see that you have put quite some effort into it and it does capture my attention, however for some areas I found it a bit too busy and my visual processors aren’t working fast enough for it. I think it would have made it a lot easier for your audience to process the information if you narrated your elevator pitch. I liked your venture idea but I’d like you to be the protagonist for your elevator pitch. If I was an investor this would be a venture that I would consider in investing into.
Keep up the good work.
Karon
danishaw 6:04 am on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks for the positive and constructive feedback, Karon. I appreciate that you took the time to review my research and contribute your perspective :).
Danielle
lisamallen 10:40 am on August 2, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Danielle,
I really liked your pitches here. I really appreciate how you critically analyzed your competition and included that in your presentation. I also like how your pitch was a presentation as opposed to a paper (and a dynamic presentation at that).
As an investor, I would have liked to see more information on how I could make money on the app. Perhaps long term projections?
Excellent work!
Lisa
gillian 8:39 am on August 3, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Danielle,
Love Animoto – always helps to create such a professional looking product. A good choice of tool for your elevator pitch.
Your venture idea is so simple, yet so very necessary. We have many students in our program who are not able to afford graphing calculators, and we are only able to lend them to students onsite – they cannot take them home. Our math teachers have looked for an app that would be suitable, but were not able to find one with the functionality your venture offers (however – how a student can afford a smartphone and not a calculator still mystifies me – priorities I suppose)
I am curious about the name of your company – does it have some significance? I ask because for such a straightforward venture idea the name seems to be on the complicated side.
As for your venture pitch, I thought it clear and concise and well supported by relevant research, especially in regards to your market research. I was also intrigued by the idea that your pitch seeks employees as well as investors. I am not sure what that says from a business point of view though.
My only comment for improvement in the venture pitch would be to include your product in your differentiation graph so that viewers can see a direct comparison of what your product has to offer.
gillian
danishaw 8:09 am on August 4, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks for the feedback Gillian. Diophantus is known as the ‘father of algebra’. I wanted to use something unique and easily identifiable…..perhaps a bit too complicated, however students would also ask about the name, therefore they would receive a bit more math history 🙂
All the best,
Danielle
gillian 2:20 pm on August 4, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I thought there must be something more to it … I’m just not all that math savvy I suppose.
Best to you as well.
gillian
Chelsea M Woods 9:28 am on August 3, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Danielle, Your idea is highly relevant and your elevator pitch makes that clear. I would have liked to see more about how you will develop the app and how you will compete with the other graphing apps that are out there, as well as how you will determine pricing. Thank you! Chelsea