Venture Pitch
Pain Point
Pain Point
There is currently a massive push to create online learning environments for students, with many early efforts missing the mark and falling short. With many students in Alberta and elsewhere in Canada being given stay-at-home orders in Fall 2020, it has become difficult for students to maintain a consistent learning structure and many are turning to online learning.
There is currently a massive push to create online learning environments for students, with many early efforts missing the mark and falling short. With many students in Alberta and elsewhere in Canada being given stay-at-home orders in Fall 2020, it has become difficult for students to maintain a consistent learning structure and many are turning to online learning.
One of the biggest issues with eLearning/Online Learning is that it removes much of the constructivist pedagogy and replaces it with individual assignments and memory recall (behaviourism). Regardless, the slow stream towards online learning that was occurring prior to Covid-19 (most actively in Ontario 1 2) has since become a surge, and as such, our company aims to become a premier provider in this new space. This is where VR'sCool comes in – not only does my product/service fix the present problem of lacklustre online education, but it also provides an elite model of forward thinking education, at a time when the field is ripe for disruption.
One of the biggest issues with eLearning/Online Learning is that it removes much of the constructivist pedagogy and replaces it with individual assignments and memory recall (behaviourism). Regardless, the slow stream towards online learning that was occurring prior to Covid-19 (most actively in Ontario 1 2) has since become a surge, and as such, our company aims to become a premier provider in this new space. This is where VR'sCool comes in – not only does my product/service fix the present problem of lacklustre online education, but it also provides an elite model of forward thinking education, at a time when the field is ripe for disruption.
The Solution!
The Solution!
My new venture, VR Construct Academy, aim to provide the solution with both pain points listed above - we will tackle the issue of needing more online learning opportunities, as well as solving the problem of losing progressive learning theory with this online shift. Here's how:
My new venture, VR Construct Academy, aim to provide the solution with both pain points listed above - we will tackle the issue of needing more online learning opportunities, as well as solving the problem of losing progressive learning theory with this online shift. Here's how:
We here are VR Construct Academy are working to build a premier schooling experience that is entirely online and remote. Students will have classmates from all over the world that they share a virtual-physical world with during their classes together. This is the bridge between face-to-face learning and eLearning that has been sorely missing; now students will learn remotely, while at the same time they will learn within the physical presence of a classroom/learning space, complete with fellow students and teachers! Our overall aim it to provide students with effective, forward-thinking constructivist learning.
We here are VR Construct Academy are working to build a premier schooling experience that is entirely online and remote. Students will have classmates from all over the world that they share a virtual-physical world with during their classes together. This is the bridge between face-to-face learning and eLearning that has been sorely missing; now students will learn remotely, while at the same time they will learn within the physical presence of a classroom/learning space, complete with fellow students and teachers! Our overall aim it to provide students with effective, forward-thinking constructivist learning.
How We're Different
How We're Different
Now, there are other VR educational providers on the market, as there are other online schools – but this venture aims to combine both of these into one product, complete with fully built-in-house software, and a full complement of staff, including teachers, support, IT, and administration.
Now, there are other VR educational providers on the market, as there are other online schools – but this venture aims to combine both of these into one product, complete with fully built-in-house software, and a full complement of staff, including teachers, support, IT, and administration.
Our team understands that shifting to online learning pushes us a step back from fully realized constructivist classrooms that we have been striving towards for some time. This realization is what separates us from the pack – we are focused on maintaining a face-to-face learning environment while students are not physically together. In this way students can continue building knowledge in a safe community, full of in-the-moment collaboration. As can be seen, at VR Construct Academy, our learning and teaching space leans into our ability to effectively utilize Constructivist learning theory practices in a manner that other online schools simply cannot.
Our team understands that shifting to online learning pushes us a step back from fully realized constructivist classrooms that we have been striving towards for some time. This realization is what separates us from the pack – we are focused on maintaining a face-to-face learning environment while students are not physically together. In this way students can continue building knowledge in a safe community, full of in-the-moment collaboration. As can be seen, at VR Construct Academy, our learning and teaching space leans into our ability to effectively utilize Constructivist learning theory practices in a manner that other online schools simply cannot.
So now that we have established what makes us different from other online schools, what makes us different from traditional schools? Two points: our learning spaces can incorporate immense variation in location as well as equipment (virtual) used to learn with, and by design, our academy takes a robust take on diverse classrooms.
So now that we have established what makes us different from other online schools, what makes us different from traditional schools? Two points: our learning spaces can incorporate immense variation in location as well as equipment (virtual) used to learn with, and by design, our academy takes a robust take on diverse classrooms.
1) Essentially imagine this: students sit in a classroom as they traditionally would, but the classroom could be in the middle of a coliseum; at the side of an operating table; atop mount Everest; on the sidelines of the Battle of Hastings; inside the human heart, etc.
1) Essentially imagine this: students sit in a classroom as they traditionally would, but the classroom could be in the middle of a coliseum; at the side of an operating table; atop mount Everest; on the sidelines of the Battle of Hastings; inside the human heart, etc.
2) These students are actually sitting in their study rooms at home, but thanks to virtual reality, our VR Contruct Academy brings all these remote students into the same learning space. As VR Construct Academy continues to grow and expand, it will awaken another unique aspect that puts us apart from brick-and-mortar schools: wide and deep diversity in every classroom. Students from Vancouver could learn alongside students from Tazmania, England, Angola, Egypt, and so on.
2) These students are actually sitting in their study rooms at home, but thanks to virtual reality, our VR Contruct Academy brings all these remote students into the same learning space. As VR Construct Academy continues to grow and expand, it will awaken another unique aspect that puts us apart from brick-and-mortar schools: wide and deep diversity in every classroom. Students from Vancouver could learn alongside students from Tazmania, England, Angola, Egypt, and so on.
Marketing
Marketing
The opportunity space for VR Construct Academy is virtually limitless! Though we intend to start with a smaller cohort of students from predetermined locations, our plan below explains how we plan to become a truly global provider of premier online, constructivist education.
The opportunity space for VR Construct Academy is virtually limitless! Though we intend to start with a smaller cohort of students from predetermined locations, our plan below explains how we plan to become a truly global provider of premier online, constructivist education.
Our competitive edge rests on the fact that though our school is online, students will still be able to learn via constructivist learning theory. There are many online schools, there are many constructivist learning traditional schools, and there are a couple companies, like Engage VR, who have engaging virtual learning platforms, but we here at VR Construct Academy are combining these three factors into 1 cohesive service!
Our competitive edge rests on the fact that though our school is online, students will still be able to learn via constructivist learning theory. There are many online schools, there are many constructivist learning traditional schools, and there are a couple companies, like Engage VR, who have engaging virtual learning platforms, but we here at VR Construct Academy are combining these three factors into 1 cohesive service!
Our Two-Phase Approach:
Our Two-Phase Approach:
In phase 1:
In phase 1:
At the outset we aim to cover K-12 education, officially using the British Columbia Ministry of Education curriculum, accreditation, and all other guidelines and necessaries. J
At the outset we aim to cover K-12 education, officially using the British Columbia Ministry of Education curriculum, accreditation, and all other guidelines and necessaries. J
Initially we plan to target students in B.C., as well as international students who are otherwise considering an offshore Canadian curriculum foreign school.
Initially we plan to target students in B.C., as well as international students who are otherwise considering an offshore Canadian curriculum foreign school.
In phase 2:
In phase 2:
With an expected steady increase in student numbers, we anticipate the need to hire additional teachers and support staff.
With an expected steady increase in student numbers, we anticipate the need to hire additional teachers and support staff.
We aim to become an accredited International Baccalaureate school. At this point we will begin to market more broadly to international students as well as students across Canada who are looking for either an effective online school, or a globally elite learning experience that will prepare them for post-secondary studies and beyond.
We aim to become an accredited International Baccalaureate school. At this point we will begin to market more broadly to international students as well as students across Canada who are looking for either an effective online school, or a globally elite learning experience that will prepare them for post-secondary studies and beyond.
Championship
Championship
Our team is a small vibrant group of visionaries and educators who are passionate about 21st century learning.
Our team is a small vibrant group of visionaries and educators who are passionate about 21st century learning.
CEO and Founder - Johannes Wielenga. He is a teacher with six years of experience in the classroom and is currently a student in the Master's program at the University of British Columbia. As a proponent of both VR and Constructivist learning theory, Johannes saw a gap in traditional learning vs online learning and saw an opportunity to disrupt this fairly new venture space - that is, ensuring students have access to effective constructivist learning theories as more and more people transition to online learning.
CEO and Founder - Johannes Wielenga. He is a teacher with six years of experience in the classroom and is currently a student in the Master's program at the University of British Columbia. As a proponent of both VR and Constructivist learning theory, Johannes saw a gap in traditional learning vs online learning and saw an opportunity to disrupt this fairly new venture space - that is, ensuring students have access to effective constructivist learning theories as more and more people transition to online learning.
Competition
Competition
Our venture is unique in that it combines three different fields into one. As such, the VR Construct Academy venture has no real competition on the one hand, but many competitors in each of the three fields we draw from.
Our venture is unique in that it combines three different fields into one. As such, the VR Construct Academy venture has no real competition on the one hand, but many competitors in each of the three fields we draw from.
1) Traditional schools: We believe that traditional schools are the most direct competition we face. These schools have facilities in place, staff on payroll, and authorization from their education ministries. Traditional schools are also the best place for constructivist learning to take place. This is why our online academy is in virtual reality; we can maintain the same level of constructivist learning theory in our curriculums and pedagogies as brick-and-mortar schools achieve.
1) Traditional schools: We believe that traditional schools are the most direct competition we face. These schools have facilities in place, staff on payroll, and authorization from their education ministries. Traditional schools are also the best place for constructivist learning to take place. This is why our online academy is in virtual reality; we can maintain the same level of constructivist learning theory in our curriculums and pedagogies as brick-and-mortar schools achieve.
2) Online Schools: The vast amount of students currently enrolled in online education are doing so via traditional schools. Since Covid-19, many schools have emptied their classrooms and shifted to teaching students through various web portals that the traditional school pays money to. We feel like most online schools are not a real threat to our business model as they are simply trying to fill a gap that the virus has created, and are mostly put together hastily by individual teachers who are not planning on a career of teaching online. That said, there are other schools that are online already, though not in VR, which causes the same problems as the online school arms of traditional schools: a lot of the constructivist pedagogy is left behind. In Canada, Distance Learning, which is run by provincial governments, is our main competition in the online school realm.
2) Online Schools: The vast amount of students currently enrolled in online education are doing so via traditional schools. Since Covid-19, many schools have emptied their classrooms and shifted to teaching students through various web portals that the traditional school pays money to. We feel like most online schools are not a real threat to our business model as they are simply trying to fill a gap that the virus has created, and are mostly put together hastily by individual teachers who are not planning on a career of teaching online. That said, there are other schools that are online already, though not in VR, which causes the same problems as the online school arms of traditional schools: a lot of the constructivist pedagogy is left behind. In Canada, Distance Learning, which is run by provincial governments, is our main competition in the online school realm.
3) Engage VR: This company makes software that grants the ability to actually host learning activities online in a virtual realm with remote users. Again, we do not view this sort of company as direct competition because although the software is similar to what we will be using, ENGAGE VR simply provides the space for people to come together. We here at VR Construct School are building an entire school with multiple spaces for learning, collaborating, and visiting. Our VR space will be fully staffed with teachers, support, and admin. In other words, companies like Engage VR are only competitive to us in the medium they use to connect VR users together. We take this concept much further!
3) Engage VR: This company makes software that grants the ability to actually host learning activities online in a virtual realm with remote users. Again, we do not view this sort of company as direct competition because although the software is similar to what we will be using, ENGAGE VR simply provides the space for people to come together. We here at VR Construct School are building an entire school with multiple spaces for learning, collaborating, and visiting. Our VR space will be fully staffed with teachers, support, and admin. In other words, companies like Engage VR are only competitive to us in the medium they use to connect VR users together. We take this concept much further!
The Ask and Return
The Ask and Return
What we are Asking
What we are Asking
VR Construct School needs venture capitalists to help fund this forward-thinking initiative. We are looking to raise funds for the following needs:
VR Construct School needs venture capitalists to help fund this forward-thinking initiative. We are looking to raise funds for the following needs:
1) Software development
1) Software development
2) Government certifications
2) Government certifications
3) IB certifications
3) IB certifications
4) Payroll for a full staff of teachers, support, and administration
4) Payroll for a full staff of teachers, support, and administration
What You Will Get in Return
What You Will Get in Return
Early Investors: We need an initial investments equal to ten million dollars. Anyone who invests at this stage will be made partners, your share will depend on the amount invested, but we are offering up to 35% ownership for the full ten million dollars.
Early Investors: We need an initial investments equal to ten million dollars. Anyone who invests at this stage will be made partners, your share will depend on the amount invested, but we are offering up to 35% ownership for the full ten million dollars.
Late Investors: Once we enter phase two (once we have IB certification), we will be looking for an additional ten million dollar investment. Much of this money will be used for advertisements, server upgrades, additional initial payroll, and for certification with various world governments. Again, your share will depend on the amount invested, but we are offering up to 15% ownership for the full ten million dollars.
Late Investors: Once we enter phase two (once we have IB certification), we will be looking for an additional ten million dollar investment. Much of this money will be used for advertisements, server upgrades, additional initial payroll, and for certification with various world governments. Again, your share will depend on the amount invested, but we are offering up to 15% ownership for the full ten million dollars.
Reflection
Reflection
This A3 project has certainly been a learning experience for me. I did know going into it that I would not be able to sufficiently explain how exactly my VR programming would work, let alone how my Academy would operate. That said, I have received some excellent feedback from my peers whose suggestions indicate that there are indeed ways I could have tackled some of these questions within the bounds of this assignment.
This A3 project has certainly been a learning experience for me. I did know going into it that I would not be able to sufficiently explain how exactly my VR programming would work, let alone how my Academy would operate. That said, I have received some excellent feedback from my peers whose suggestions indicate that there are indeed ways I could have tackled some of these questions within the bounds of this assignment.
Elevator Pitch: The best thing about my pitch was that I addressed 2 problems directly, and provided 2 direct solutions. It was a brief pitch that worked to get the attention of my peers. That said, I do recognize that my graphics were not as clean and crisp as they should have been; I could have made a reference page at the end instead of having the reference on the image, and I could have slowed down an element here or there. Perhaps some soft ambient music would have helped out the presentation, but ultimately I am left wondering if the entire video should have been just me talking in the camera, to simulate a more realistic "elevator" pitch.
Elevator Pitch: The best thing about my pitch was that I addressed 2 problems directly, and provided 2 direct solutions. It was a brief pitch that worked to get the attention of my peers. That said, I do recognize that my graphics were not as clean and crisp as they should have been; I could have made a reference page at the end instead of having the reference on the image, and I could have slowed down an element here or there. Perhaps some soft ambient music would have helped out the presentation, but ultimately I am left wondering if the entire video should have been just me talking in the camera, to simulate a more realistic "elevator" pitch.
Venture Pitch: I tackled all the main topics that should be included in a venture pitch, though I did spend more time on some sections than others. Based on my peer feedback it appears as though most thought my pitch was concise, clear, and coherent, which is what I was aiming for. But my peers also rightly pointed out that I dodged some important questions that an investor might have, such as, how does my Academy actually function, what an example of a VR classroom or activity might look like, and how much it costs to attend my Academy. As for myself, I feel as though I could have included more in the "championship" section by making up a fictitious team of partners, though since my project is entirely made up, it felt needless at the time. I also could have bolstered the Marketing aspect by going into more detail with my business plan, but again, this being a fictitious product it was hard for me to focus my energy on that aspect (and peers actually lauded my marketing section as it is). Overall I was able to tackle most of the important issues and topics that should be included in a venture pitch, and I think that generally speaking people have shown excitement in my creation (some peers have pointed out that they would be interested in working at such an Academy as I have envisioned. At the end of the day I think my focus on Constructivism is really a key point of disruption in the burgeoning online learning market.
Venture Pitch: I tackled all the main topics that should be included in a venture pitch, though I did spend more time on some sections than others. Based on my peer feedback it appears as though most thought my pitch was concise, clear, and coherent, which is what I was aiming for. But my peers also rightly pointed out that I dodged some important questions that an investor might have, such as, how does my Academy actually function, what an example of a VR classroom or activity might look like, and how much it costs to attend my Academy. As for myself, I feel as though I could have included more in the "championship" section by making up a fictitious team of partners, though since my project is entirely made up, it felt needless at the time. I also could have bolstered the Marketing aspect by going into more detail with my business plan, but again, this being a fictitious product it was hard for me to focus my energy on that aspect (and peers actually lauded my marketing section as it is). Overall I was able to tackle most of the important issues and topics that should be included in a venture pitch, and I think that generally speaking people have shown excitement in my creation (some peers have pointed out that they would be interested in working at such an Academy as I have envisioned. At the end of the day I think my focus on Constructivism is really a key point of disruption in the burgeoning online learning market.