SP Experience
Only in the city of São Paulo, there are more than 20 deaf institutions that provide education for deaf students. Many of these institutions have music classes for those who show interest in learning about music. However, these deaf students lack the ability to connect with music, feel rhythms, and distinguish amongst notes. Through the use of the product: SubPac, a backpack that vibrates in the rhythm of music. It is passible to connect your mobile phone to it and listen to music while the backpack vibrates in the rhythm of each song you select. This enables several deaf students to have a deeper connection to music through the use of this product. If the supply of such product to deaf institutions reaches a global scale, this would help millions of deaf students to connect with music and feel sound.
The deaf community faces stereotypes regarding their inability to hear that therefore excludes them, or builds disinterest in exploring music. Several parents avoid encouraging their kids to participate in music classes and after school activities related to music. SP Experience provides a technological approach that will break this preexistent social barrier that the deaf community faces. By donating SubPacs to deaf institutions in Brazil, a technology that is currently unavailable in our country, we will be able to break such social barriers and evoke potential ''hidden'' passions in the lives of these students.
Audience: Our initial target audience is for Deaf institutions in São Paulo. As the company grows, we will try to provide SubPacs to institutions in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and possibly, throughout Brazil.
We have contacted 3 different deaf institutions in the São Paulo area and presented them with the idea of supplying SubPacs to strengthen their music departments and provide this connection the deaf students would have with the use of this device. Several students tested the SubPac and felt the immediate connection with the music style or song they were curious in feeling. Some even danced! Therefore, it is evident that their needs run parallel to our project and help Destry this social barrier the deaf face with music due to their inability to hear.
Use SubPac as a tool that incentivizes Deaf students to learn how to play instruments
The vibrations emitted by the subpac might help the deafs' communication skills, especially by facilitating and controlling the volume, pitch, and sound of their voice.
Subpac could be a tool used in Biology, since Deaf students could identify how different animals communicate through vibrations emitted by the backpack
SubPacs could help/encourage certain institutions to have orchestras or bands
Deaf students could be taken to concerts to witness the emotion and inspiration evoked by music to people.
Learn the history of music through SubPac.
- Ensure all citizens can overcome barriers to civic participation and inclusion
- Growth
- New application of an existing technology
This project revolves around the application of an existing (but new) technology to serve a new population. SubPac's accessibility in the United States is much bigger than in Brazil. Therefore, this technology is already being used by some deaf populations in the US. However, by introducing such technology to the deaf institutions across Brazil for the specific use in music education, this completely mirrors how Peter Drucker defines innovation. Not only can this be used in the Deaf Institutions, but in music concerts as well. In April, we were able to bring 3 deaf students from the Instituto Santa Teresinha to spend a day watching concerts in Lollapalooza São Paulo. Given this additional approach, we will not only encourage such technologies to be used in the daily lives of deaf students who are interested in learning about music, but also for those who show interest in attending concerts and feeling such emotion for the first time in their lives.
SubPac, a tactical audio system that transforms bass frequencies into vibrations. It can be connected to instruments and phones via bluetooth or a p2 cable.
- Social Networks
This solution addresses the problem because the product has been tested by several deaf students from different institutions across São Paulo and they approved its need. Additionally, the administration of such schools have also valued this product and its use in their music classes. This serves as evidence to support the high demand for this product in the institutions.
- Children and Adolescents
- Low-Income
- Middle-Income
- Persons with Disabilities
- Brazil
- Brazil
Currently: 5 deaf students in Instituto Santa Teresinha (since we only have 3 SubPacs)
One Year: Projection of 20 Subpacs: more than 40 students
Five years: Projection of 100-150 SubPacs: substantial amount of deaf students all over Brazil.
Within the Next Year: Accumulate funds to bring 20 SubPacs to Brazil and attend the Rock In Rio concert, bringing along 3-5 deaf students.
Within the next 5 years: Bring more than 100 SubPacs to Brazil and donate them to institutions across multiple states. Attend 2-3 music concerts per year bringing the maximum of 10 students.
Barriers for one year: Sufficient funds for the importation of more SubPacs. Bring 3-5 deaf students to attend Rock in Rio --> funds and tickets. Come into contact with the First Lady of Brazil - Lower import taxes? Come into contact with the SubPac Corporation to get a discount.
Barriers for 5 years: sufficient funds for the importation of at least 100 SubPacs. Attend 2-3 concerts per year --> funding for concert and tickets.
Funding: promotional video, pitches to investors here in Brazil, donations, and gaining popularity through social media.
- Nonprofit
4
Because my team consists of experienced people who help orientate social projects to thrive. Additionally, I have a music teacher that only teaches deaf students who is already working with Red bull and Volkswagen (as sponsors) to continue lessons in public and private institutions for deaf students across Brazil.
No organisations have partners with us yet.
Looking for partnerships with Doritos and Red Bull.
Market Analysis:
In relation to the product, some potential competitors are sound system companies such as Beats, Bose, Harman Kardon, Pioneer, JBL and so on and so forth. Since the Subpac introduces a completely new market, these companies are the closest competitors they have. On the other hand, my service does not have any competitors, since this is a new service idea that serves others with a non-profit regulation.
Management and Growth:
As SP Experience grows, we will attempt to partner with SubPac Inc, since my uncle used to work with the distribution of SubPac products, we already have contact with the company in order to make a deal and partner to pay less for the product and limit expenses. We will use the strategy of Co-opetition in order to do so. We could potentially provide this product for a lower price or even for free if this partnership works. This will help us expand throughout Brazil, including providing the product to institutions across Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and several other Institutions for Deaf students across our country. As our service grows, we will hire several representative for each state and use all of our profit from the business (if we have any) to pay these representatives. Our profit will come from a small equity portion of SubPac Inc and a small Commission that some institutions will pay us if they need more SubPacs.
Funding: promotional video, pitches to investors here in Brazil, donations, and gaining popularity through social media.
Solve will help with not only funding, but with introducing other organisations who might want to partner for similar causes.
- Business model
- Technology
- Distribution
- Funding and revenue model
SubPac: Donation or discount in the purchase of Subpacs to import them to Brazil.
Companies that organise international concerts.