Karlsgate is a privacy-enhancing technology company that enables organizations to safely use and collaborate with sensitive data. The company has successfully gained traction with large organizations across multiple industries, including global agencies, data providers, publishers, and multinational enterprises. However, Karlsgate faces a significant challenge in making the business value of its technology more recognizable to potential customers. The complex nature of data governance and privacy challenges often involves multiple stakeholders, making the buying process intricate and multifaceted.

The specific business challenge lies in creating scalable, cost-effective ways for prospective customers to engage with Karlsgate before entering a traditional sales process. The current impact of this challenge is that potential customers may not fully understand the value of Karlsgate's technology, leading to missed opportunities for market expansion and revenue growth. The company's growth is hindered by the difficulty in conveying its value proposition to diverse audiences, including privacy and compliance teams, technology teams, data teams, and business leaders.

This project addresses the challenge by engaging North Carolina A&T entrepreneurship students in identifying practical strategies for generating qualified market interest. Students will explore low-cost engagement models that provide immediate value to prospective customers, helping them recognize and understand the problems Karlsgate solves. The project will involve phases of market research, stakeholder analysis, competitive review, and strategy development, culminating in actionable recommendations for Karlsgate.

This project is ideal for students as it offers a real-world application of their academic learning in entrepreneurship and consulting. Students will gain valuable experience in strategic planning, market analysis, and business development, enhancing their consulting communication and teamwork skills. The project also provides an opportunity to explore the intersection of technology, data governance, and market engagement, making it relevant and exciting for students interested in careers in consulting, marketing, and technology.

 

Success would be a clear, evidence-based recommendation for a market engagement approach that Karlsgate can realistically implement to generate qualified interest in its technology.

Key measures of success would include:

A particularly successful outcome would be a recommendation that Karlsgate has enough confidence and supporting evidence to move forward with testing in the market.