Sep 2024 ~ Dec 2024

eBento

Startup | B2B/D2C | Concept Development | Cultural Heritage

We explored the full process of starting a startup in this case study. In order to build the bridge between 2nd/ 3rd Asian Americans and the older generation heritage gap in California through food. From 0 to 1, we went through the complete startup beginning process. Through this process, we developed business model and teamwork skills, gaining a solid foundation for future development in the integration of design and business.

My Role

Startup Co-Founder
UX Designer & Researcher
Service Designer
Product Strategist

Responsibilities

User Research
Prototype Design
Business Strategy
Pitching

Team

Yujie Yin
Grace Cao
Andrew

Course

College: California College of the Arts
Course: Creative Entrepreneur
Professor: Jess Wen

The part I like

I learned lots of very commercial ways of thinking, market models, market sizing, business models and so on. I also learned a lot about the problems startups encounter and go through. These are all things that are rarely understood from a designer's perspective in the past, but are a crucial part of the process. After all, we are in the business of serving humanity.

Challenges

For the collaborative part, we spent a little time bonding with each other. It's rare for me to be in a random group and it's kind of a long-term project for me. We didn't work that well together in the beginning. In the end, we chose to coordinate the collaboration by clarifying what each person was primarily responsible for.

There is a demand for we to do it

California has 3 million Asian Americans

They are disconnecting from their root, identity, cultural. We believe our food is a way to help them reconnect with their culture. Food appears everywhere, at festival, daily meals, events. Food is a easiest way to build up the connection.

Million dollar opportunity

Did you know there were only 20 to 30 state-wide Asian Food related events held back in 2010 in US? Those are one of the 150 plus state-wide Asian food related events that were held in 2023. Asian Food related events are clearly on heat trend right now. We want to tackle this million dollar opportunity in the market.

Let me introduce our product - eBento
It's a platform that guides aspirational Asian Americans who value traditional culinary practices to curate memorable experiences for their own communities. To truly understand and promote the cultural importance of preserving traditional food practices, a well curated community experience is essential.

3 Key Features - Feature 1

Customized guidance

Easy to use and approachable quiz format or filter to start out the planning process. Personal how-to-guides customized to your own in person cultural event. Get customized guidance to hosting your unique cultural community experience.

3 Key Features - Feature 2

Generational cultural story with the elderlies

Take this as a chance to discover your own inter-generational cultural story with the elderlies. Conversation prompt for cross generational conversations to learn more about the cultural history. Can be generated into physical story cards!

3 Key Features - Feature 3

Traditional cultural knowledge is complex

Customizable physical merch like recipe cards or food boxes to be dispersed among the attendees to increase engagement because everyone loves to take home so free goodies!

Future Concern

eBento is a platform that guides aspirational Asian Americans who value traditional culinary practices to curate memorable experiences for their own communities.
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In the future we want：
Community to connect with other passionate like-minded individuals
Diverse cultural hub not limited to Asian traditions
Supporting role for small event host hoping to expand

eBento

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