Company Description

Vida International AB (Vida) is located in Gothenburg, Sweden and offers a patented structural glazing system called VidaSystem™. With VidaSystem, Vida aims to increase the energy-efficiency of buildings by using a specialized glazing technique to prevent the loss of energy that occurs along glass facades. VidaSystem was designed to work with modern insulated glass facades and glass roofs. The company operates in the construction industry, but also supports architects and structural designers with technical solutions. The company was established in 2005 and offers strong potential for growth. VidaSystem™ is sold in Sweden, Norway, Lithuania and Japan. The United Kingdom is a prospective country and negotiations are in progress.

Student Project Description

Vida International engaged GW MBA students to help them gain knowledge of the U.S. structural glazing market. This was important to Vida because they had two patents in the USA, but were unsure of how to navigate the competitive landscape or what regulatory barriers to entry to anticipate. They also required information about customer needs and potential U.S. networks of collaborators, including distributors and producers of glass products. As a result, Vida tasked the business school students with coming up with a U.S. entry strategy within the structural glazing market for their one product solution, VidaPoint™ which was a point-fixed solution for building glass facades. Over the course of three months, the students conducted extensive research and developed a detailed strategy to meet Vida’s needs. The students officially presented their strategy to the executive team of Vidas International at the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden.