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Critters – the Citizen Science Platform

By Mary S on November 29, 2015

My original concept is a platform that will make citizen science more readily available for not-for-profits and the public.

I am pitching it to a corporate sponsor, something like a auto company or other large entity that might need a bit of “greening.”  Some of this is imaginary, of course, since I don’t have any links to the the UBC Environmental Studies department, nor do I have a grant from Environment Canada.  I did think, though, that I needed a bit of credibility as opposed to just a bare start-up for this exercise.

First, the elevator pitch. The voice on the video is me, just sped up a bit to sound like a “Critter.”

 

 

My follow up venture pitch is here:

Critters

This was an interesting but at times difficult assignment.  I think my chief weakness is that large corporations are inundated with funding requests and one has to be extremely convincing to “get through the door.”  That said, no one is doing this yet…perhaps because it is hasn’t got potential for big money.

Also, maybe I should have leaned more on the social media and potential for exposure of the corporate sponsor aspect.  I was trying to keep it respectfully short while still selling the idea.  Were I trying to promote this on a crown-funding site, I think I would have gone more in that direction.

Hope you enjoy the Critters!

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4 Dec Posted on Critters – the Citizen Science Platform

Feedback: This is an interesting idea! I think that many investors are beginning to recognize the value in ventures that promote social and environmental change, so you’ve chosen a great market. Not only could the data collected from your app be used to help scientists determine environmental conditions, but the fact that users are able to share their observations over social media may generate interest and provide their peers with information about certain conservation areas, etc. You may have strengthened your pitch even more by providing some examples of how the collected data could be used toward specific environmental initiatives. Lastly, your mention of the success of many fitness apps, which rely on data collection, was a great addition to your pitch. I think it will help investors recognize the potential for your product to thrive!

4 Dec
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Natalie Shearer @nshearer

Feedback: This is an interesting idea! I think that many investors are beginning to recognize the value in ventures that promote social and environmental change, so you’ve chosen a great market. Not only could the data collected from your app be used to help scientists determine environmental conditions, but the fact that users are able to share their observations over social media may generate interest and provide their peers with information about certain conservation areas, etc. You may have strengthened your pitch even more by providing some examples of how the collected data could be used toward specific environmental initiatives. Lastly, your mention of the success of many fitness apps, which rely on data collection, was a great addition to your pitch. I think it will help investors recognize the potential for your product to thrive!

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2 Dec Posted on Critters – the Citizen Science Platform

FEEDBACK: Environment is a big deal in our Canadian culture currently, so you definitely picked a topic that could get some attention. From the elevator pitch, I wasn't able to determine what the site was entirely about (except for good press for naughty corporations!). Upon further investigation, I'm not sure I would be interested in investing in a non-profit venture… but that is just me - not to say others would not. Like some have said, while the voice was a creative touch, it did make it hard to listen to the pitch.

2 Dec
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lanehardy @lanehardy

FEEDBACK: Environment is a big deal in our Canadian culture currently, so you definitely picked a topic that could get some attention. From the elevator pitch, I wasn't able to determine what the site was entirely about (except for good press for naughty corporations!). Upon further investigation, I'm not sure I would be interested in investing in a non-profit venture… but that is just me - not to say others would not. Like some have said, while the voice was a creative touch, it did make it hard to listen to the pitch.

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1 Dec Posted on Critters – the Citizen Science Platform

FEEDBACK: Any efforts supporting environmental issues I am generally in support of. There are so many beneficial projects that have high social (or environmental) value we could be doing with edtech so I am glad you went in this direction. The problem as you stated is that non-profits are constantly challenged with funding sources. I also thought you identified the problem, but I was a little confused by what exactly the app does and how. As well, how much would it cost to build this solution? Who is on the team to build this and what background might they have? Although the "critter voice" was related to the project, it seemed a bit child-like for an investment pitch. Might be more suited to the website where you are soliciting new users perhaps? I was attracted to the concept of citizen science, and as you noted, it seemed like this approach might encourage younger participants to be stewards of the land. Sign me up!

1 Dec
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Kate L. @katehand

FEEDBACK: Any efforts supporting environmental issues I am generally in support of. There are so many beneficial projects that have high social (or environmental) value we could be doing with edtech so I am glad you went in this direction. The problem as you stated is that non-profits are constantly challenged with funding sources. I also thought you identified the problem, but I was a little confused by what exactly the app does and how. As well, how much would it cost to build this solution? Who is on the team to build this and what background might they have? Although the "critter voice" was related to the project, it seemed a bit child-like for an investment pitch. Might be more suited to the website where you are soliciting new users perhaps? I was attracted to the concept of citizen science, and as you noted, it seemed like this approach might encourage younger participants to be stewards of the land. Sign me up!

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1 Dec Posted on Critters – the Citizen Science Platform

FEEDBACK: Hi Mary. Your idea is an interesting one. I was not quite sure about the entire venture from the pitch, but your ideas came through clearly in the presentation. data collection is so important and difficult to do so this venture has merit. Your reflection is very realistic and shows thoughtfulness and investment in the idea. Good luck!

1 Dec
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Sandy M @sanmag1

FEEDBACK: Hi Mary. Your idea is an interesting one. I was not quite sure about the entire venture from the pitch, but your ideas came through clearly in the presentation. data collection is so important and difficult to do so this venture has merit. Your reflection is very realistic and shows thoughtfulness and investment in the idea. Good luck!

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1 Dec Posted on Critters – the Citizen Science Platform

FEEDBACK: Hi Mary, I certainly like how your elevator pitch came from the point of view of the critter, I am assuming the wee green frog in the corner. This added the "cuteness" appeal. As I read through your Venture Pitch I understood the product I gained a pretty good understanding of what "Critters" is trying to develop. The idea certainly has merit and could add a lot to the world of science! My question is around validity of citizen input. While most people would be simply trying to help out, there are always a few characters out there who would try to test the limits of the app by adding incorrect information, such as sightings of unusual species etc. How would your company address this when it is all based on "honest input" from citizens and there is no funding to validate? Just curious. Overall, I really do think the idea has merit!

1 Dec
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tina gordon @gordie70

FEEDBACK: Hi Mary, I certainly like how your elevator pitch came from the point of view of the critter, I am assuming the wee green frog in the corner. This added the "cuteness" appeal. As I read through your Venture Pitch I understood the product I gained a pretty good understanding of what "Critters" is trying to develop. The idea certainly has merit and could add a lot to the world of science! My question is around validity of citizen input. While most people would be simply trying to help out, there are always a few characters out there who would try to test the limits of the app by adding incorrect information, such as sightings of unusual species etc. How would your company address this when it is all based on "honest input" from citizens and there is no funding to validate? Just curious. Overall, I really do think the idea has merit!

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1 Dec Posted on Critters – the Citizen Science Platform

FEEDBACK: Hi, Mary: Great work! I like that you’ve grounded the issue geographically and used example organizations from Canada to illustrate the work already being done in the field. I think the ability to save valuable information in a cloud database is also appealing to organizations who have limited tech budgets and experience and who want to avoid data loss from issues like local hardware failure. In terms of improving the pitch, I’d recommend including more specific information about the venture in the Elevator Pitch to get people interested in the venture and what actions it will involve.

1 Dec
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Michael @mbgoodfellow

FEEDBACK: Hi, Mary: Great work! I like that you’ve grounded the issue geographically and used example organizations from Canada to illustrate the work already being done in the field. I think the ability to save valuable information in a cloud database is also appealing to organizations who have limited tech budgets and experience and who want to avoid data loss from issues like local hardware failure. In terms of improving the pitch, I’d recommend including more specific information about the venture in the Elevator Pitch to get people interested in the venture and what actions it will involve.

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1 Dec Posted on Critters – the Citizen Science Platform

FEEDBACK - Mary, your elevator pitch is clearly laid out and so is your venture pitch. Although you identify the problem and articulate the solution quite clearly, I found myself wondering if your solution offers greater value than some of the social media tools that are currently available. Maybe it is my lack of understanding of your solution, but I wanted to compare the features to what Google Groups and Google Communities (for example) offer and found that many of the features were comparable. Community of Practice platforms like Yammer (https://www.yammer.com) and eXo (https://www.exoplatform.com) offer even more features. At the end of your presentation I found myself asking: Great idea but why should I invest in this platform when there are established alternatives available? Would it be more feasible to build a project that customizes and configures one of the existing platforms?

1 Dec
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tariqrbutt @tariqrbutt

FEEDBACK - Mary, your elevator pitch is clearly laid out and so is your venture pitch. Although you identify the problem and articulate the solution quite clearly, I found myself wondering if your solution offers greater value than some of the social media tools that are currently available. Maybe it is my lack of understanding of your solution, but I wanted to compare the features to what Google Groups and Google Communities (for example) offer and found that many of the features were comparable. Community of Practice platforms like Yammer (https://www.yammer.com) and eXo (https://www.exoplatform.com) offer even more features. At the end of your presentation I found myself asking: Great idea but why should I invest in this platform when there are established alternatives available? Would it be more feasible to build a project that customizes and configures one of the existing platforms?

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30 Nov Posted on Critters – the Citizen Science Platform

Hi Mary, I think this idea of citizens collecting data for science is a great one. I did it with a city of Toronto cycling app that was collecting data on routes for the purpose of seeing where they need to build more cycling infrastructure. Let's say I'm an environmental scientist and I want to study how nuclear disaster in Japan is affecting the shoreline on Vancouver Island. How might Critters help me in my research? I think you need to give some direct examples of how Critters can be used by scientists.

30 Nov
0 Thumbs Up!
rrto @rrto

Hi Mary, I think this idea of citizens collecting data for science is a great one. I did it with a city of Toronto cycling app that was collecting data on routes for the purpose of seeing where they need to build more cycling infrastructure. Let's say I'm an environmental scientist and I want to study how nuclear disaster in Japan is affecting the shoreline on Vancouver Island. How might Critters help me in my research? I think you need to give some direct examples of how Critters can be used by scientists.

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29 Nov Posted on Critters – the Citizen Science Platform

Very interesting idea! It certainly taps into a number of the different trends, wearable apps, the environment, and social media. I particularly like the touch of the sped up voice in the elevator pitch, it’s a fun creative detail.

29 Nov
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Catherine @steeve8

Very interesting idea! It certainly taps into a number of the different trends, wearable apps, the environment, and social media. I particularly like the touch of the sped up voice in the elevator pitch, it’s a fun creative detail.

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