Uevoc

Idea

Introduction

U-challenge would provide a platform, through an Android or IPhone app, on which anyone could challenge other users to perform a certain task, learning a new skill for example or doing less or more of something, like giving up smoking or going jogging.

Users could send a private challenge to one or more selected individuals for fun or reward, there would also be an option to add a countdown timer. Or they could make their challenge public and would have the option to use keywords or location so they could tag their challenge enabling it to be easily found.

As well as creating Private or Public challenges and browsing challenges that are popular, U-challengers could view profiles of other U-challengers and follow them so that when they upload a new challenge they would be notified.

Intended impact

We feel this would offer a new way to socially and personally connect, communicate and collaborate around specific tasks or challenges that are relevant to a user on a location and keyword level.

Individuals could upgrade to a Pro’ account and for the first time promote their skills and services quickly and easily, via challenges, on a mobile device, to potential challengers who are nearby or who are searching for challenges that interest them.

The same would apply to ‘Brand Challengers’, they would be presented with a unique way to target and communicate with, both new and existing customers via the creation of challenges.

U-challenge actions and notifications are threaded through the U-challenge app and Facebook. All activity therefore becomes advertising and all content is essentially promotional, this would allow U-challengers to automatically share a whole new set of actions, activity and interactions on the largest social network in the World.

Marketing of U-challenge would be social and viral, with user-generated content contributing to all promotion on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Pinterest. User involvement and engagement is key to all aspects of the U-challenge execution.

Key global celebrities, figures and personalities would be invited to join with the virtue of the philanthropic nature of U-challenge as incentive i.e. vision 'to make the World better one challenge at a time'. The simplicity and novelty of a new platform with which they can engage, connect and challenge their relevant groups, organisations and fans would also be a key selling point.

Substantial accomplishments to date

All Visual Identity work on the brand and iconography has been completed by a leading UK Designer. Designs, colours, icons and branding we feel reflect the inclusive nature of the U-Challenge in the fact that it would appeal to as many people as possible.

Following extensive research of UK, US, Canada and Eastern European companies and individuals, a technical team in India were selected to develop the U-challenge Android and IPhone apps.

Following consultations with commercial and technical colleagues here in the UK, I travelled to India and spent one month working with the Design and Development team and completed wireframes for both the U-challenge IPhone and Android app.

Completion of the BETA versions of both the Iphone and Android are currently scheduled for November 2012.

All supporting U-challenge social channels are live i.e.: Facebook brand page, Twitter, YouTube Channel and Pinterest Account, and these would be used to build brand awareness and engagement ahead of the planned official global launch in December 2012.

Monetisation strategy

U-challenge would offer Companies the opportunity to create 'branded, sponsored challenges', pricing for which would be dependent upon:

1) The number of users on platform in a given region or country.

2) The brand’s ability to advertise and promote their challenge (U-challenge) through their existing advertising and promotional activities.

Public challengers would have the option of paying to 'Go Pro', unlocking additional features on their profile such as the ability to connect directly with challengers who join their challenges and follow them.

‘Go Pro’ challenges would also appear differently when searched for.
'Brand' and 'Go Pro' Challengers would also be eligible for their challenges to be a featured challenge on U-challenge.

The objective of U-challenge is to create a well-defined, global user base, who are highly engaged on an innovative free Android / IPhone app, that delivers an associated set of distinct revenue streams.

A large, global user base would also present additional revenue (advertising and merchandising) opportunities on all associated social channels.

Use of proceeds

We plan to use funding to:

1) Complete development and testing of BETA versions of Iphone and Android apps.

2) Fund return trip to India to work closely with design / development team to implement / project manage change list (required from BETA to global launch).

3) Pay for additional design / feature developments prior to global launch on both Apple App Store and Google Play.

4) Build a simple 'app showcase' website, with links to all social channels and relevant download (Google Play and Apple App Store) locations.

5) Create viral, social content set ahead of launch to promote U-challenge through and on the U-challenge Facebook page, Twitter Account, Youtube Channel and Pinterest profile

6) Launch U-challenge to the World on both Google Play and Apple’s App Store

7) Pay for Amazon S3 hosting