This unique collaboration between Swedish companies and US academia grounded in the course ‘Technology and Marketing Strategy: The Swedish Experience’ has given all parties a deeper insight in the US clean tech market.
The GW students have developed customized marketing strategies how the Swedish companies will succeed with their products on the US market. The clients were ClimateWell, Swebo Bioenergy, I-Tech, IB Cleaning, and Taurus Energy, all selected out of SACCs network. The final destination on the journey for the class was to go to Sweden, meet with the company representatives and present the final results of the projects.
The teams work offered a great insight in the American market and the different opportunities and difficulties the companies will face when emerging on the US market. They brought a commercial view, but also a political perspective into their marketing strategies.
The students found it priceless to combine their theoretical education, previous experiences with practice and actually put together a real life product. The project provided hands-on experience in an international environment where they had to manage the time difference and the distance in the best way possible.
Comments from the MBA Students:
“The framework of the analysis demanded that we conduct a thorough marketing plan, in a condensed period of time, within an industry that we had no prior experience. We also had the unique opportunity to engage in work that presented the logistical challenges of working with a client internationally. Coordinating our client interactions required the use of business tools, such as Skype and video conferencing, and helped us prepare for and understand the cultural barriers that must be overcome in international business.”- Team IB Cleaning, The George Washington University
“Working with our client to write a marketing plan for US market entry has been a very rewarding experience. Our work group was comprised of business professionals from a variety or backgrounds and competencies including marketing, finance and sustainability and so we aimed to create a very practical and cohesive plan for our client. The current political and economic climate in the US presents many opportunities for Swedish CleanTech companies in the US and we hope to see this program continued in the future”- Team Swebo, The George Washington University
“We’ve been fortunate to have a client whose phase of development allows us to really have an impact, which is something that’s pretty exciting. Part of the challenge, and an area in which the class really grew, was learning to interact with businesses in a foreign culture.”-Team Taurus, The George Washington University
Welcome to visit SACC-USA
here Cecilia Helland