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Innovation
Diabetes Management (Medical Technology)
Taking a Diabetes Startup from Pitch to International Launch
Challenge: A Swiss startup had built an innovative diabetes management product and needed a solid business case for strategic investors. Key questions: How does market access work in Germany, France, the UK, the US, and China - and when will payers cover the cost?
Approach: We validated the patient benefit in conversations with healthcare professionals and patients, then assessed market viability in each target region with local decision-makers. Acting as translators between markets, we turned complex country data into a compelling investor story.
Result: A strategic investor acquired the company and is now rolling out the product internationally - built on the strategic foundation we laid.
Home Appliances
Designing Products Around Real Life, Not Spec Sheets
Challenge: A home appliance manufacturer wanted its innovations to do more than impress on paper - they had to work in people's everyday lives. What unspoken needs were out there, and how could the brand stand apart from competitors?
Approach: Ethnographic research showed us consumers' daily routines. In-home product tests delivered authentic feedback in real use, and competitive observation revealed openings to differentiate. Working as a true partner, we brought engineering, marketing, and senior leadership to the same table.
Result: Insights fed straight into development: better functionality, improved ergonomics, a sharper go-to-market strategy, data-driven pricing, and clearer communication across ads, manuals, and apps.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
How EVs Are Reshaping Workplace Safety
Challenge: Electrification is transforming the auto industry. A leading PPE manufacturer needed to know how workplaces and safety requirements would change. What new risks were emerging, and how would demand develop?
Approach: A 360-degree analysis: desk research, in-depth interviews with automakers, suppliers, and repair shops, trend scouting at the IAA Mobility show in Munich, plant visits, and expert interviews. We modeled how workplaces will change and forecast demand.
Result: Concrete product design recommendations - for example, on working safely around high-voltage systems. The client sharpened its portfolio, planned with confidence, and positioned itself early as a partner to the auto industry.
Licensed Products (Confectionery)
Stretching a Heritage Brand Without Losing Its Fans
Challenge: A confectionery brand with a long heritage wanted to move into new categories, from desserts to ice cream to cakes. Which ideas truly fit the brand - and which story and packaging would win people over without alienating loyal customers?
Approach: A nationwide online survey, split evenly among loyal buyers, brand-aware consumers, and chocolate lovers who didn't yet know the brand. We tested two brand stories, four design routes, and a range of product ideas, some benchmarked head-to-head against competitors.
Result: A clear picture of where the brand could take risks and where it needed to stay true to its roots - and a solid basis for choosing the launch products, the look, and a path to gradually skew younger.
Market Research
Electric Motorcycles
Winning Over Riders Who Love the Roar
Challenge: An electric motorcycle maker was preparing its German launch. How do you win over riders for whom engine sound and vibration are the very soul of riding? A false start would have meant rejection by the community.
Approach: A multi-stage design that went deeper than standard research. Active riders joined an online community to share their everyday experiences and what riding means to them. Then we went offline: we visited riders at home, rode along, and experienced the culture firsthand.
Result: We identified the real emotional drivers and built meaningful rider profiles. The positioning connected to riders' existing values instead of fighting them - and the launch was embraced by the community.
In-Game Advertising (Grocery Retail)
Does the Game Make the Ad?
Challenge: A major German grocery chain wanted to test a new format - audio ads in mobile games - to drive awareness of its loyalty program. Does in-game advertising actually land with players, and in which game does it work best?
Approach: A quantitative online study among regular mobile gamers who share household shopping decisions. Using matched test groups, we ran the identical spot in three different games.
Result: The game itself strongly shaped how the ad was received - same voice-over, same length, very different impact. The client got clear guidance on which games and which reward types work best.
Strategy
Industrial Components
Spotting At-Risk Customer Relationships Before They Break
Challenge: An international manufacturer of industrial components needed to know where key accounts were at risk. What will customers expect from technology, service, and advice - and where might the company lose them?
Approach: Systematic in-depth interviews at every level, from operations managers to the C-suite - that breadth was key to seeing the full picture. In strategy workshops, we turned the findings into prioritized focus areas, concrete projects, and measurable KPIs, with ongoing tracking.
Result: The company spotted relationship risks early, made targeted improvements, and strengthened long-term accounts with offers tailored to customer needs.
Private Banking
The Future of Advice for Ultra-High-Net-Worth Clients
Challenge: A leading private bank wanted to future-proof its advisory model - and needed candid answers from its most important clients. How do UHNW clients rate the advice they get? What role should AI play? Where are the blind spots?
Approach: We recruited ultra-high-net-worth individuals - one of the hardest audiences to reach - for confidential in-depth interviews on advisory quality, future expectations, and openness to digital tools.
Result: A concrete roadmap instead of assumptions. The bank closed specific gaps, defined a clear role for AI in support of personal advice, and adapted its processes to its top clients' expectations.
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