Team ESB: Ernest Sliter & Steven Borik

Ernest.Sliter@utdallas.edu | Steven.Borik@utdallas.edu

Problem
Maintaining a 4-year degree
plan is difficult for students.
Prerequisite structure &
semester specific classes
Adding or switching majors
Time-consuming

Problem
Average student
debt
On-time
graduation rates

Validation: Underclassmen
44% of
underclass
men plan 1
semester
ahead.

33% - believe that they dont have a

strong understanding of their
degree plan.

42% of
underclassme
n spend less
than 1 hour
planning their
degree plan
each
semester.

Validation: Upperclassmen
63% - Restricted due to lack of
prerequisites.
23% - Unable to take the
desired number of classes
per semester.

Setup

Business Model
SaaS annual subscription model for public
4-year universities and community colleges.
Direct
Sales
Cycle

Subscription
Types
1 Year

Pitch to
college
Negotiation

4 Year

Implementati
on period

4
weeks
6
weeks

8 Year

$3,500
$12,600
$23,800

Strengths
Student
Prerequisite structure and
semester-specific classes
Easy setup
Changing major
Visual tool

School
Data collection
Reduced workload for
advisors

Market Analysis
Economic Buyer:
Public & Private 4Year
Universities in U.S
(2474)

Primary User:
Undergraduate Student (9
million +)
60% - average on-time
graduation rate
43% of students designate
cost of attendance as very
important.
Secondary User:
Advisor

Marketing
Direct Sales
Sales
Direct

Academic
Academic
Conferen
Conferen
ce
ce
Trade
Trade
Shows
Shows

Competition
Basic Degree
Tracking
Simplifies Prereqs
Outlines Degree
Modifications
Automated Setup
Data Collection
for Future Class
Planning

Team & Advisors

Ernie Sliter | Founder
-OpenSesame, Amazon Associates, MIS Membership Team Lead
- B.S Management Information Systems, Software Engineering Minor
Steven Borik | Co-Founder
-Enversa LLC, Intelemedia Communications, Ultimate Frisbee Club
President
-B.S Management Information Systems
Advisors
Eric Fortenberry | CEO of Orgsync
CEO of Orgsync, provides an onlinecommunity managementsystem
tohigher educationinstitutions in the United States and Canada.
Robert Wright | Senior Lecturer at the University of Texas at Dallas
Founder of Dallas Social Venture Partners and co-author of The Little
Green Book of Venture Philanthropy

Financial Projections: 1st Year

Expenses
Salaries

TARGET INVESTMENT
OF

$80K

Software Engineer

Marketin
g

$40,000 + 5% equity vested

$6,000

Facilities

TO DEVELOP DEGREELAB

Rent

$7,200

Utilities

$1,200

Other
Data Storage

$600

Hosting

$1,200

Security

$600

Accounting Fees

$600

Financial
Projections

Current Status & Timeline

Completed

Task Description

1
2

Basic business
plan

Oct 13th

Customer
validation
(survey)

Nov 3rd Nov

15th

Met with Eric

Fortenberry

Nov 7th

4
5

Product roadmap
Begin search for investors and
developers
Finalize legal structure and
business plan
Finalize product prototype
Gather product feedback

Met with
advisors

Nov 12th

Incorporate product feedback

Begin pitching to universities

Evaluate progress

Wee
ks
1-4
4-7
8
9-11
1215
1619
2024
25-