Case 4.2: E Ink

Questions

1. What is the nature of E Ink’s potential opportunity?

a. What are the possible uses for E Ink’s technology?

b. What is the nature of E Ink’s opportunity?

2. What is your opinion of the three stage approach adopted by E Ink?

a. Why did E Ink pick these three markets to attack in sequence? What other possible approaches could E Ink have taken?

b. For each opportunity, answer the following:

i. Who is the customer?

ii. Why would the customer adopt E Ink’s technology?

iii. What about partners?

iv. Who has the most to gain by adopting E Ink’s technology, and who has the most to lose?

v. Who is the competition?

vi. What is necessary for E Ink to succeed in each market, in terms of technology, human resources, and marketing?

vii. How much money and time is needed to exploit each segment?

viii. What is the business model for each market?

ix. What can go right and what can go wrong? What can be done to increase the reward/risk ratio?

c. What are the possible outcomes for E Ink at the end of 5 years?

3. How much money should the company raise, on what terms, and from whom?

4. What is the next move for Iuliano and his management team?