CM: Becoming a technology firm

Founded in 2000 as a Short Message Service (SMS) marketing company for discos (clubs), CM evolved into a technology provider for SMS services. By 2008, CM was market leader in The Netherlands, a position won by offering high quality services at low prices. In 2010, the founders of the company were looking for different growth opportunities. Should they develop new products and/or expand internationally? Did they need to attract external funding? Or should they continue to focus on their core technology and home market?

Written by Elco van Burg, Isabelle Reymen and Sharon Dolmans from Eindhoven University of Technology. Download the case and teaching note at www.thecasecentre.org or request them from j.c.van.burg@vu.nl.

SENZ Umbrellas: Taking the world by storm

This case describes the start-up of SENZ Umbrellas, a Dutch venture founded by three graduates of Delft University of Technology (the Netherlands) who aimed to introduce an asymmetrical, storm-proof umbrella onto a mass-market where product innovation was limited.

It demonstrates the marketing challenges start-ups face in bringing an innovative consumer product to market. In particular, the case focuses on how to promote a new consumer product and create brand awareness when resources are limited. This case can be used both in entrepreneurship courses to illustrate marketing issues common to the ‘start-up’ stage, and in strategic marketing programmes.

Written by Armand Smits and Wynand Bodewes from Maastricht University and Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship. Dowload the full case and teaching note at www.thecasecentre.org or request them from w.bodewes@maastrichtuniversity.nl.