Context

The CKW Group is a leading Swiss provider of integrated energy and building technology solutions. For more than 125 years, the company has been supplying electricity to its now over 200,000 end customers from the cantons of Lucerne, Schwyz, and Uri. In addition, it offers innovative products and services throughout Switzerland in the areas of broadband internet connectivity, IT infrastructure (e.g., data center, cloud services), electrical services, energy technology (e.g., photovoltaics, heat pumps, e-mobility), communication, and security. The CKW Group employs over 1,900 people. With around 300 apprentices in 14 professions, it is the largest private-sector apprentice trainer in Central Switzerland. In the 2019/20 financial year, CKW generated sales of CHF 820.4 million. Axpo Holding AG is the majority shareholder of CKW.

You can find more information on the company website.

Task

Imagine being a medium-sized cooperation with 50-250 employees based in Switzerland and a minimum energy consumption of 100,000 kWh per year, which you can compare to the consumption of 25 private households. To get an even better feeling: Your requirements regarding power are moderate as you only use standardized production and logistic processes. Also, you have to supply your basic building infrastructure like heating, ventilation air conditioning, and cooling systems with energy, but your machinery does not request unique power grid solutions. You primarily pay attention to the price, see a stable power supply as a must-have, and sustainability is getting ever more important.

What corporation could you be? A retail chain, a hotel, a machinery manufacturer, a logistics center, a carpentry, or even a big garage? You can extend this list at will.

Now, it's your turn to support CKW in generating revolutionary ideas on what innovative solutions to offer a medium-sized corporate in Switzerland that to date only has a few touchpoints with CKW updating its contract every two or three years. You should think of solutions that satisfy the customer continuously and target specific needs. What value can CKW add for the customer?

Keep in mind that CKW's main expertise lies in the energy sector, but ideas are not limited to this sector. CKW is already offering different products and services in a variety of sectors (see website). Your ideas should go beyond what they are already offering. The sectors can, however, be a great inspiration to find new areas for your ideas. The product or service you are thinking of should be standardized and thus scalable.

As inspiration, you can look at overriding trends like sustainability (e.g., decarbonization), digitalization (e.g., big data & smart meter), and democratization & decentralization of power to name just a few. Maybe you can check out what leading electricity providers are already doing in your home country. Try to think outside the box and generate genius ideas for CKW!

Here some initial input from the Swiss market: