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Making Learning Trendy, Bite-sized, and Fit for Instagram: Preface as a Disruptor in Tech Education

This case follows the entrepreneurial journey of Tommie Lo, Founder and CEO of education platform Preface, as he pioneered an innovative business model that provides up-to-date education in coding and tech skills, specializing in concepts like blockchain, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and the metaverse in the fast-developing field of Web3, as well as AI-related topics such as machine learning and ChatGPT. While its Business-to-Consumer (B2C) segment targets schoolchildren from well-resourced families or senior executives who are willing to pay a premium for flexible and convenient courses, Preface’s clients in the Business-to-Business (B2B) segment include leading brands in financial services, technology, and luxury goods.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, Preface differentiates itself in multiple ways. First, in contrast to traditional classrooms or purely online learning, Preface matches students with teachers for training sessions that could be online or offline, anytime and anywhere. Second, Preface’s instructors are top engineers from leading tech companies who are passionate about computer science and teach at Preface as a second career, with Preface tapping into a high-quality resource pool. Third, Preface opened physical food & beverage outlets to offer exclusive events and foster a sense of community among its clients, contributing to a cultural shift toward lifelong learning.

Year of Publication: 2023
Ref. No.: 23/775C
Discipline: Knowledge and Human Resource Management, Marketing, Organizational Behavior and Leadership, Strategy & General Management
Industry: Commercial Services
Country/Region: Hong Kong SAR
Company: Preface
Languages: English
Pages of Text: 10

Learning Objective:

After discussing this case, students will be able to describe the evolution of the Internet and explain why Web3 represents a paradigm shift and revolutionary leap forward; articulate the origins and processes of Design Thinking, namely “empathise,” “define,” “ideate,” “prototype,” and “test,” and comprehend why this has gained traction in the business world; and understand Kim and Mauborgne’s concepts of “red oceans,” “blue oceans,” and “value innovation” as outlined in “Blue Ocean Strategy.”

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