graph TD
A[Serious Ben Entertainment<br/>Global SaaS Platform] --> B[Serious Health Games]
A --> C[Coaching Services]
A --> D[Free Diagnostic Apps]
B --> B1[BenBen<br/>Back School]
B --> B2[Relaxation<br/>Training]
B --> B3[Qi-Gong]
C --> C1[Coaching]
C --> C2[AI-supported<br/>Coaching]
D --> D1[Personality<br/>Questionnaires]
D --> D2[Mini-Games for<br/>Self-Reflection]
B1 -.domestic adaptation.-> E[§20 SGB V<br/>Germany - example]
Business Plan
Serious Ben Entertainment
Abstract
This business plan covers the establishment of Serious Ben Entertainment, a global SaaS company developing Serious Health Games and AI-supported coaching for an international English-speaking audience. The plan outlines the company’s mission, global market opportunity, modular product offerings (such as the BenBen - Back School game), the creative-clinical-technical founding team, marketing strategy, financial projections, and operational plan.
NoteFounding Proposal
Founding: Serious Ben Entertainment is a new company focused on providing innovative digital health entertainment solutions to a global, English-speaking audience. The company is co-founded by Benjamin Gross (clinical, data-science and product expertise) and Phelire Chisi (Social Worker, Artist, Healer — the creative force behind the studio), who bring a unique combination of clinical, creative and technical skills to the development of evidence-based Serious Health Games. The company will be based in Lilongwe, Malawi, and will serve a worldwide audience through the digital platform www.seriousbenentertainment.org.
Founders: Benjamin Gross & Phelire Chisi New Area 43 Lilongwe
Brief Project Description
Serious Ben Entertainment is developing a web-based SaaS platform — www.seriousbenentertainment.org — that publishes a growing portfolio of Serious Health Games (self-contained, evidence-based game modules such as BenBen - Back School), AI-supported coaching, and free diagnostic mini-apps for lead generation. The platform targets a global English-speaking audience: health-conscious private individuals, employers running workplace health programs, NGOs, and clinical partners. Where favourable national reimbursement schemes exist, individual modules can be additionally certified for that domestic market — the German statutory health-insurance market (§20 SGB V primary-prevention courses) is the first concrete example of such a domestic adaptation and is treated throughout this plan as one go-to-market channel rather than the core business model.
Business Idea
We are founding Serious Ben Entertainment as a digital studio that develops and publishes innovative SaaS solutions (Software as a Service) at the intersection of Serious Games, (health) coaching and primary prevention. The focus is on a globally accessible platform — www.seriousbenentertainment.org — that gives people worldwide low-threshold access to playful, evidence-based health promotion and personal development.
The business model rests on four global pillars, with Pillar 4 securing financial stability in the start-up phase:
- Serious Health Games — self-contained game modules published on the platform, each combining gamified mechanics with evidence-based health content. The flagship module is BenBen - Back School (musculoskeletal prevention with posture detection); further modules in the pipeline include relaxation training and Qi-Gong. Individual modules can be additionally certified for domestic reimbursement schemes; the first such adaptation is certification under §20 SGB V in Germany (priced at 150 Dollars per course, with German statutory health-insurance funds reimbursing 75–150 Dollars). Comparable schemes in other countries (e.g., NHS digital-health pathways in the UK, employer-sponsored wellness programs in the US, MASM/CHAM in Malawi) are evaluated module-by-module.
- AI-supported and classical coaching for holistic health promotion and personal development, delivered globally via video and chat.
- Free diagnostic mini-apps (questionnaires, personality games, posture/back checks) as entry-level products that, through evidence-based evaluations, reveal development potential and advertise and broker paid coaching services and game modules.
- Lecturing at Hochschule Fresenius (Benjamin Gross) to secure a stable income during the founding phase (Year 1 / 2).
The technical implementation of the services is delivered via:
- An Angular-based web application (www.seriousbenentertainment.org) as the central SaaS platform
- Serious Games for playful health promotion.
- Conversational AI and AI-supported analyses for personalized recommendations.
- Scalable cloud infrastructure (e.g., Snowflake Cloud) for flexible service delivery without (high) fixed costs.
- In-house development supported by my own developer skills, GitHub Copilot, and other development tools to avoid high costs, as well as best practices that I learned during my time at adesso SE.
ImportantFlagship Module
The flagship Serious Health Game is BenBen - Back School, a self-contained game module on the Serious Ben Entertainment platform for the prevention of back pain and musculoskeletal limitations. As a web-based SaaS application, it combines playful game mechanics with evidence-based exercises (e.g., Brügger Therapy) and posture detection driven by a self-developed deep learning model (CNN). Globally, it is sold directly to private users and employers via the platform.
For the German domestic market, BenBen - Back School is being prepared as the studio’s first §20 SGB V certified primary-prevention course: priced at 150 Dollars, with German statutory health insurance funds reimbursing up to 150 Dollars. The Central Examination Office for Prevention (ZPP) certifies such offerings under §20 SGB V — e.g., in the category Game-based learning / serious games / e-teaching. Equivalent domestic adaptations (employer pricing in the US, NHS-aligned content in the UK, MASM/CHAM partnerships in Malawi) are evaluated for each subsequent module.
Target Groups and Positioning
The SaaS platform is primarily aimed at a global English-speaking audience:
- Health-conscious private individuals worldwide as direct end customers of the platform and its game modules
- International employers running workplace health and wellness programs for their employees
- Coaching clients seeking personal and AI-supported development support
- Clinical and NGO partners (e.g., physiotherapy practices, community health programs) integrating our modules into their care pathways
- Statutory health insurance funds and equivalent domestic payers — addressed selectively per country where reimbursement schemes are favourable. Germany’s §20 SGB V framework is the first such channel and serves as a template for evaluating future domestic adaptations (see 1.4.4 Marketing and Sales – Cooperations and Partnerships).
We position the company as a studio for evidence-based Serious Health Games and digital coaching, anchored by a dual founding team:
- Benjamin Gross combines clinical practice (physiotherapist, Alexander Technique teacher, burnout coach), health-economics training (B.Sc., 2017–2019), and Data Science (M.Sc., 2023–2026, University of Edinburgh). He has built e-Health products since 2019 and brings the technical, clinical and product perspective.
- Phelire Chisi is the creative force of the studio: a qualified Social Worker (B.Sc.), Artist and Healer based in Lilongwe. She leads the creative direction of the games, contributes psychosocial-counselling expertise (family work, trauma-informed creative practice, therapeutic photography and craft-based methods) and ensures that game narratives, characters and healing arcs resonate emotionally and culturally with players worldwide.
This combination — clinical depth, data-science capability, and creative-therapeutic authorship — is the studio’s core differentiator and feeds directly into the development of intelligent, scalable, emotionally meaningful SaaS products.
The business model uses modern cloud technologies (e.g., Snowflake) for flexible scalability (compute and data storage) and enables location-independent use of all services via the web platform www.seriousbenentertainment.org, with fixed base costs and minimal hardware investment.
Markets
The global market for digital health applications, Serious Games for health, and preventive health-promotion offerings is growing continuously. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated worldwide acceptance of digital health solutions, and the current AI revolution is fuelling curiosity about AI-driven coaching and assessment tools. At the same time, the need for low-threshold prevention offerings is rising globally due to:
- Demographic change and increasing life expectancy in high-income markets
- Rise of stress-related illnesses and psychological strain across cultures
- Lack of exercise and back complaints in increasingly sedentary work and everyday life
- The general digitalization of healthcare in both mature and emerging markets
The founding of Serious Ben Entertainment builds on the founders’ combined experience: Benjamin’s many years as a physiotherapist, personal trainer, course leader, coach and managing director of a therapy center, where he repeatedly recognized the limits of traditional care structures; and Phelire’s social-work and creative-healing practice in Malawi, which provides direct insight into community-level mental-health and resilience needs. Digital, scalable solutions make it possible to overcome the limitations of local care structures and to deliver innovative health promotion globally. Prior projects illustrate the technical capability: a Bachelor’s-thesis iPad Serious Game exhibited at Gamescom 2019, and a data portal for Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi, with AI-supported assistance.
Market Potentials
The global market for digital health services and Serious Games offers significant growth potential:
- Workplace wellness (worldwide): Employers in the US, UK, EU and increasingly across Africa and Asia are investing in scalable digital solutions for employee health — the platform’s primary global revenue channel.
- Direct-to-consumer health games and coaching: Health-conscious individuals worldwide are willing to pay for evidence-based, gamified prevention products; recurring SaaS revenue through subscriptions and per-module sales.
- Coaching market: The market for (health) coaching is growing continuously; AI-supported approaches open up new possibilities at price points accessible to global customers.
- Domestic reimbursement schemes (selective): Where favourable, individual game modules are certified for domestic reimbursement. Example — Germany (§20 SGB V): statutory health-insurance funds invest several hundred million Dollars annually in prevention courses, with strong policy push toward digital formats. The §20 SGB V channel is treated as a high-value but country-specific add-on, not the foundation of the business model.
Professional Foundations
The founders’ combined interdisciplinary background forms the ideal basis for developing evidence-based, emotionally engaging digital health games:
Benjamin Gross — clinical, technical and product foundations:
- Physiotherapy, training, course provision: Sound knowledge of movement, posture, and body awareness
- Alexander Technique, burnout counseling & coaching: Expertise in mental health and behavior change
- Health Economics (B.Sc.): Understanding of healthcare systems, billing models, and market mechanisms
- Data Science (M.Sc.): Technical competence for software development, AI development, data analysis, and cloud infrastructure, as well as the development of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for posture and movement detection
- Lecturer in Physiotherapy & Data Science: Didactic skills for target-group-appropriate knowledge transfer
Phelire Chisi — creative force, social and healing foundations:
- Social Work (B.Sc.): Family counselling, social case management, trauma-informed practice
- Artistic practice: Therapeutic photography, craft-based creative methods and narrative design — directly applicable to game characters, story arcs and player-experience design
- Healing practice: Community-based psychosocial healing approaches that move beyond purely talk-based counselling, integrating structured creative expression into the healing process
- Cultural authorship: Lived expertise in Malawi-rooted, globally relatable storytelling that grounds the studio’s games in human experience rather than mechanics alone
This combination enables the team to develop SaaS products that pair therapeutic quality and technical innovation with creative depth and economic viability.
Market Overview
Personal and Professional Qualifications
Education and Training — Benjamin Gross
Excerpt from health and therapy training:
- State-certified physiotherapist (2004–2007)
- Alexander Technique teacher (2009–2013, four-year training)
- Burnout counselor and coach
- Diplom Brügger Therapist
- PhysioCORE® Personal Trainer
- Relaxation trainer (§20 SGB V certified — relevant for the German domestic adaptation)
- Back-school instructor (§20 SGB V certified — relevant for the German domestic adaptation)
- Qi-Gong teacher (§20 SGB V certified — relevant for the German domestic adaptation)
Excerpt of academic qualifications:
- Master of Science Data Science (2023–2026, University of Edinburgh, UK)
- Bachelor of Science Health Economics (2017–2019, Hochschule Fresenius)
- Train the Trainer – Adult Education (2024)
- Future Work Agent – Change Management & New Work (2020–2021)
Excerpt of IT-technical certifications:
- SnowPro Associate: Platform (Snowflake, 2025) – Cloud Data Platform
- adesso certified GenAI Fundamentals (2025) – Generative AI and LLMs
- ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level (2025) – Software Testing
- Professional Product Owner (Scrum.org, 2024) – Agile Product Management
Education and Training — Phelire Chisi
- Bachelor of Science in Social Work
- Professional training in family counselling and social case management
- Creative-healing practice (therapeutic photography, craft-based methods, integrated psychosocial healing)
- Practical experience coordinating community resources and client support in Malawi
Further details can be found in the attached CVs of both founders.
Professional Experience and Competencies — Benjamin Gross
Current position:
- Lecturer at Hochschule Fresenius (since 09/2025): Courses in Analytical Skills for Business and Data Science and Data Analytics
Relevant professional experience:
- Senior IT Consultant at adesso SE (03/2024–09/2025): Data Engineering, AI development, Snowflake data platforms, RAG and agent systems
- Technical Advisor, Ministry of Health Malawi (01/2022–12/2023): Data Engineering & AI in healthcare, development of health data platforms
- Technical Contract Manager, Deutscher Hausärzteverband (11/2019–06/2021): Data Engineering, project management of digital health solutions
- Lecturer Ludwig Fresenius Schule (07/2016–10/2019): Teaching and eLearning development
- Managing Director therapie centrum Rosenheim (09/2013–06/2016): Corporate management, strategy, staff leadership
- Physiotherapist & Lecturer (11/2007–08/2013): Therapy, workplace health management, personal training
Core technical competencies:
- Programming: Python, R, JavaScript/TypeScript, Angular
- Data Engineering: Snowflake, SQL, ETL processes, data modeling
- AI/ML: TensorFlow, Hugging Face, OpenAI API, RAG systems
- DevOps: Docker, Git/GitHub, CI/CD
- Health IT: HL7v2, FHIR, HIS/PMS systems
Pedagogical and coaching competencies:
- Extensive teaching experience at universities and vocational schools
- Adult education and didactic preparation of complex content
- Coaching training (Alexander Technique, burnout counseling)
- Experience in developing eLearning content and Serious Games
Professional Experience and Competencies — Phelire Chisi
Role at Serious Ben Entertainment: Co-Founder, Creative Director and Psychosocial-Care Lead.
Relevant professional experience and practice:
- Social work practice in Malawi: family counselling, individual case work, linkage to community resources
- Creative-healing practice: therapeutic photography sessions, craft-based group activities, narrative interviewing — used to facilitate emotional processing where words alone are limited
- Community engagement: experience designing and facilitating workshops on resilience, family well-being and healing in Malawi
Core creative competencies:
- Game narrative & character design: translating real-life healing journeys into game characters, story arcs and progression mechanics
- Visual / artistic direction: photography, craft, mood and tone for the studio’s titles
- Cultural authorship: ensuring stories feel grounded, dignified and globally relatable
- Psychosocial-content review: safeguarding the trauma-informed, emotionally safe design of all game and coaching content
Customer Target Groups, Competition, Marketing, and Pricing
Customer Target Groups
The SaaS offerings of Serious Ben Entertainment are aimed at different target groups worldwide with specific needs:
Primary target groups (global):
- Health-conscious private individuals (25–65 years), English-speaking, interested in prevention and self-care
- People with back complaints or stress strain who, due to time constraints, prefer digital solutions
- Coaching-interested individuals who pursue personal or professional development
Institutional partners (global):
- International employers within the framework of workplace health and wellness programs
- HR departments for employee wellness programs
- NGOs and clinical partners integrating game modules into care pathways
Domestic-market institutional partners (example: Germany):
- Statutory health insurance funds for §20 SGB V prevention courses in partnership — the first concrete domestic adaptation, treated as a central market-access channel for the German market only (see 1.4.4 Marketing and Sales – Cooperations and Partnerships). Equivalent partners in other countries will be evaluated module by module.
Competitive Positioning
The market for digital health applications is growing strongly but is also becoming increasingly fragmented. Different providers focus on fitness apps, meditation apps, or pure coaching platforms.
Unique selling points of Serious Ben Entertainment:
- Interdisciplinary, dual-founder expertise: Combination of clinical therapy, Data Science, and creative-healing/social-work practice (Phelire Chisi as creative force)
- Holistic approach: Integration of movement, relaxation, coaching, narrative-driven Serious Games and AI support in one platform
- Evidence-based: All offerings are grounded in scientifically sound methods
- Freemium strategy: Free diagnostic apps as a low-threshold entry point
- Domestic-adaptation strategy: Selected modules can be additionally certified for local reimbursement schemes — Germany’s §20 SGB V certification is the first example, enabling reimbursement and premium pricing in that market without forcing the global product to follow German bureaucracy
- Personal touch: Combination of automated AI services and personal coaching (Blended Learning)
Competitive comparison:
- Pure fitness apps (e.g., Freeletics): Focus only on training, no coaching, no narrative
- Meditation apps (e.g., Headspace): Mental health only, no movement, no game mechanics
- Coaching platforms: Mostly high cost, no integrated games, no domestic-reimbursement strategy
- National §20-style course providers: Mostly classic on-site courses, little creative or digital innovation, no global ambition
Pricing
The pricing structure is transparent and follows the SaaS model with various price tiers. Currency reference is US Dollars (USD), which the studio uses as its functional global currency (see operational rationale in the project’s currency notes).
Serious Health Game modules (global price):
- Price: Dollar 150.00 per module (8–10 weeks of structured content)
- Offerings: BenBen - Back School, relaxation training, Qi-Gong, additional modules in the pipeline
- Domestic adaptation example — Germany (§20 SGB V): identical 150 Dollar price; 75–150 Dollar reimbursement by German statutory health-insurance funds; customer’s own contribution 0–75 Dollar
Coaching Services (global):
- AI-supported coaching: Monthly subscription Dollar 30.00
- Coaching: Dollar 125.00 per session (60 min.)
- Coaching package: Dollar 650.00 (6 sessions)
Free offerings (lead generation):
- Personality questionnaires
- Mini self-reflection games
- Health check apps
The pricing takes into account:
- Standard global market rates for digital health offerings and Serious Games
- Reimbursability under selected domestic schemes (e.g., §20 SGB V in Germany) where applicable
- Low entry barriers through free diagnostic tools
- Value perception through evidence-based quality and creative production value
Marketing and Sales
Online Marketing (global):
- Website: www.seriousbenentertainment.org as the central SaaS platform, English-first
- Content marketing: Blog articles on health topics, SEO optimization for English-language search
- Social media: LinkedIn (B2B, global), Instagram and TikTok (B2C, global)
- E-mail marketing: Newsletter with health tips
- App stores (planned): Companion mobile apps in iOS App Store and Google Play (worldwide territories)
Cooperations and Partnerships:
- International employer and workplace-wellness partnerships: Companies running global wellness programs are addressed as the primary B2B multiplier. Cooperation forms include integration of game modules into existing wellness platforms, joint offering design for corporate customers, and training for HR departments.
- Clinical and NGO partners: Therapy practices, community-health programs and NGOs (English-speaking markets first) integrating individual modules into their care or outreach pathways.
- Health portals and directories (global): Listing in relevant English-language online directories and content cooperations with health portals for lead generation.
- Domestic-adaptation example — Germany (§20 SGB V): Acquiring German statutory health-insurance funds as partners is the first concrete domestic-adaptation channel, with an enormous multiplier effect for the German market. Outreach proceeds in stages:
- Certification by the ZPP: The BenBen - Back School module is prepared for certification by the Central Examination Office for Prevention (ZPP) as an ICT-based prevention offering. This is a prerequisite for reimbursability.
- Direct outreach to prevention departments: After successful certification, the prevention departments of selected health insurance funds (e.g., AOK, TK, Barmer) are contacted directly — by e-mail and telephone with a concrete offer and certification proof.
- Cooperation models:
- Listing in the course directory: Health insurance funds list certified courses in their online directories; insured persons can book these directly and apply for reimbursement.
- Framework agreements: Long-term agreements with individual funds enabling preferred placement, joint marketing campaigns, or exclusive offers for their insured.
- White-label solutions: Individual customization of the apps (branding, content) for health insurance funds that wish to offer their own digital prevention services under their name.
- Network maintenance: Participation in industry events (e.g., DMEA, workplace-health congresses) for contact-building and product presentation.
Freemium Strategy:
- Free apps as an entry point and trust-builder — users experience the added value without a financial hurdle and develop trust in the platform.
- Data-driven, personalized recommendations for premium offerings — based on the results of the free diagnostic tools, tailored paid courses or coaching services are suggested.
- Evidence-based evaluations show concrete added value — scientifically grounded result reports motivate users to book further offerings.
Sales channels:
- Direct sales via own website – main global channel for all products with integrated booking and payment system (multi-currency / Dollar pricing).
- App stores (planned for mobile apps) – expansion of reach through presence in iOS App Store and Google Play from 2027 (worldwide).
- B2B sales to international companies – direct outreach to HR and workplace-wellness managers for company licenses and employee offerings.
- Domestic-reimbursement directories (example): for the German market, listing in §20-course directories — central visibility for German insured persons actively looking for reimbursable prevention offerings.
Offering Overview
graph LR
A[Serious Ben Entertainment<br/>Global SaaS Platform] --> B[Serious Health Games<br/>Dollar150 each]
A --> C[Coaching]
A --> D[Free Tools]
B --> B1[BenBen<br/>Back School]
B --> B2[Relaxation<br/>Training]
B --> B3[Qi-Gong]
C --> C1[Coaching<br/>Dollar125/session]
C --> C2[AI Coaching<br/>Dollar30.00/month]
D --> D1[Questionnaires]
D --> D2[Mini-Games]
B1 -.domestic adaptation.-> E[§20 SGB V<br/>Germany - example]
Future Outlook, Opportunities, and Risks
Market Entry Strategy
The productive launch of the SaaS platform www.seriousbenentertainment.org is planned for early 2026 — it is already publicly accessible in version 1.0.0 (Beta). The strategy follows a multi-stage approach:
Phase 1 (Q3 2026): Soft Launch (global, English-first)
- Publication of the website with free diagnostic apps for a worldwide audience
- Launch of the first Serious Health Game module — BenBen - Back School
- Start of the German §20 SGB V certification process for BenBen - Back School (first domestic adaptation)
- Building the first global user base through the freemium strategy
Phase 2 (Q4 2026 – Q1 2027): Product Expansion
- Launch of further Serious Health Game modules (relaxation training, Qi-Gong)
- Integration of the AI-supported coaching service
- Start of international employer / workplace-wellness cooperations
- Completion of §20 SGB V certification and start of cooperations with German health insurance funds (domestic-adaptation channel)
Phase 3 (Q2 2027 onwards): Scaling
- Expansion of B2B sales channels (international workplace wellness)
- Development of mobile apps for iOS/Android (worldwide territories)
- Evaluation of further domestic adaptations beyond Germany (UK, US employer schemes, Malawi/southern Africa partnerships)
Unique Selling Points and Success Factors
Technological strengths:
- Cloud-based, scalable infrastructure (Snowflake)
- AI-supported personalization and coaching
- Modern web technologies (Angular) for optimal user experience
Professional strengths:
- Unique combination of clinical health expertise, Data Science and creative-healing/social-work practice (Phelire Chisi as creative force)
- Domestic-adaptation strategy: e.g., §20 SGB V certification in Germany unlocks reimbursement and premium pricing in that market without forcing the global product to depend on a single national scheme
- Evidence-based methods with scientific grounding
Business model:
- Recurring revenue through SaaS subscriptions
- Low customer acquisition costs through the freemium strategy
- Scalability without proportional cost increase
Opportunities
- Growing global market: Digital health and Serious Games are booming, reinforced by demographic change in mature markets and digitalization in emerging ones
- Domestic-adaptation upside: Selective domestic certifications (starting with §20 SGB V in Germany) create trust, lower price barriers and unlock premium pricing in those markets
- AI trends: Growing global interest in AI-supported coaching and assessment
- Workplace-wellness potential: Companies worldwide are increasingly investing in employee health
- Network: Existing contacts in the healthcare sector (Germany, Malawi) and creative/social-work networks (Malawi)
- Lecturing: Lecturing at Hochschule Fresenius strengthens reputation and offers synergy effects in the founding phase
Risks and Mitigation
Business risks:
- Customer acquisition: Slow build-up of the global user base → mitigated by the freemium model and targeted marketing
- Competition: New providers → continuous innovation and quality assurance, with creative-narrative differentiation as a moat
- Technical complexity: Development effort → agile development, MVP approach, modular game architecture
- Domestic-scheme regulation: Changes to any single domestic scheme (e.g., §20 SGB V) → mitigated by treating each scheme as one of several go-to-market channels rather than the foundation of the business model
Financial mitigation:
- Side activity as lecturer: Stable base income parallel to founding
- Low capital requirement: Digital business model without high investment costs
- Flexibility: If needed, return to employment (physiotherapy, IT consulting) is possible
- Personal situation: Single, no maintenance obligations, modest lifestyle
Operational risks:
- Data protection: Health data → strict GDPR compliance, secure cloud infrastructure
- Quality assurance: Therapeutic quality → regular evaluations, user feedback
- Scaling: Growth management → cloud infrastructure enables automatic scaling
Personal Prerequisites
The founders’ personal situation favours the venture:
- Financial flexibility: Modest lifestyle and a low-cost living base in Lilongwe, Malawi, well-equipped for the start-up phase (2026 to 2027)
- Professional experience: Prior founding and leadership experience (Benjamin: managing director of therapie centrum Rosenheim) and grass-roots social-work and creative-practice leadership (Phelire)
- Resilience: Both founders have navigated financially challenging phases during training, vocational training and studies
- Network: Long-standing contacts in healthcare and health-IT in Germany and Malawi, plus creative and social-work networks in Malawi
- Continuous further training: Commitment to lifelong learning and adaptability across both founders
Profitability Calculations
Calculation of Required Personal Drawings
Cost of Living (monthly)
| Item | Amount in Dollar |
|---|---|
| Apartment (incl. heating and all incidental costs) | 670.00 |
| Food, beverages, and stimulants | 250.00 |
| Clothing and shoes | 50.00 |
| Furnishings | 20.00 |
| Health and personal care | 15.00 |
| Transport (public transport + road bike accessories) | 65.00 |
| Communication, leisure, and culture | 40.00 |
| Education | 50.00 |
| Other | 20.00 |
| Subtotal cost of living monthly | 1,180.00 |
Insurance and Provident Contributions
| Item | Amount in Dollar |
|---|---|
| Statutory or private health and long-term care insurance | 363.00 |
| Statutory or private pension/retirement provision | 00.00 |
| Other insurance | 11.00 |
| Total monthly | 374.00 |
Operational Calculations
Capital Requirement Plan in the Start-up Phase (Assumption: 3 months)
Pre-founding
| Item | Amount in Dollar |
|---|---|
| Start-up advisory | 200.00 |
| Registrations / notifications / permits (Trade Office, IHK) | 100.00 |
| Legal advice (data protection, T&Cs) | 300.00 |
| Patent, license, and franchise fees | 0.00 |
| Total one-time founding costs | 600.00 |
Ongoing Business Costs (per month)
| Item | Amount in Dollar |
|---|---|
| Further training / certifications | 50.00 |
| Cloud hosting (STRATO V-Server, Snowflake) | 50.00 |
| Domain & website hosting | 15.00 |
| Marketing and advertising (online ads, SEO) | 300.00 |
| Office supplies incl. postage | 20.00 |
| Business insurance (professional liability) | 40.00 |
| Contributions and fees | 50.00 |
| Telecommunications (internet, telephone) | 30.00 |
| Tax advisor / bookkeeping | 150.00 |
| Other | 50.00 |
| Total ongoing operating expenses (monthly) | 755.00 |
| Total operating expenses (3 months) | 2,265.00 |
Total capital requirement (start-up phase 3 months): EUR 7,500
Capital Requirement and Financing
Financing Plan
| Item | Amount in Dollar |
|---|---|
| Equity | |
| Bank balance | 17,500.00 |
| Private loans | 0.00 |
| Contributions in kind (existing IT equipment) | 5,000.00 |
| Total own funds | 22,500.00 |
| Outside capital | |
| Founding subsidy (6 months × Dollar2,000) | 12,000.00 |
| Long-term loans | 0.00 |
| Short-term loans | 0.00 |
| Total outside capital / funding | 12,000.00 |
| Total financing | 34,500.00 |
| less total capital requirement (3 months) | -7,500.00 |
| Surplus / shortfall | +27,000.00 |
Notes:
- Equity comprises existing cash and IT equipment (laptop, software)
- Founding subsidy: 6 months × Dollar2,000 = Dollar12,000 (main funding)
- The surplus serves as a liquidity reserve for further development
Revenue, Cost, and Profit Forecast
Revenue Planning
The revenue forecast is based on realistic assumptions for a digital SaaS business model in the build-up phase:
Assumptions Year 1 (2026, 6 months):
- Serious Health Game modules (incl. first §20 SGB V launches in Germany): 15 modules × Dollar150 = Dollar2,250
- Coaching: 7.2 sessions × Dollar125 = Dollar900
- AI Coaching subscriptions: 24 subs × Dollar30 × ø 1 month = Dollar718
- Total: Dollar3,868
Assumptions Year 2 (2027):
- Serious Health Game modules (global direct + §20 SGB V Germany): 60 modules × Dollar150 = Dollar9,000
- Coaching: 36 sessions × Dollar120 = Dollar4,320
- AI Coaching subscriptions: 30 subs × Dollar30 × 12 months = Dollar10,764
- Workplace-wellness cooperation: 2 companies × Dollar2,000 = Dollar4,000
- Total: Dollar28,084
Assumptions Year 3 (2028):
- Serious Health Game modules (global direct + §20 SGB V Germany): 120 modules × Dollar150 = Dollar18,000
- Coaching: 60 sessions × Dollar120 = Dollar7,200
- AI Coaching subscriptions: 80 subs × Dollar30 × 12 months = Dollar28,704
- Workplace-wellness cooperations: 5 companies × Dollar2,500 = Dollar12,500
- Total: Dollar66,404
Chart: Company Development (Dollar)
| Year | Revenue (Dollar) | Operating Costs (Dollar) | Annual Surplus (Dollar) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3,868 | 4,530 | -662 |
| 2027 | 28,084 | 9,060 | 19,024 |
| 2028 | 66,404 | 9,060 | 57,344 |
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ℹ Use the conflicted package (<http://conflicted.r-lib.org/>) to force all conflicts to become errors
Notes:
- Year 1 (6 months): Build-up phase with low revenues and a slightly negative operating result (-Dollar662), but positive overall profitability through the founding subsidy and side income
- Year 2: Strong revenue growth and clearly positive annual surplus
- Year 3: Further significant revenue growth through an established product range and customer loyalty
Liquidity Forecast
Income and Expenses (extrapolated and estimated)
| Item | 2026 (6 mo.) (Dollar) | Year 2027 (Dollar) | Year 2028 (Dollar) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net income | |||
| Serious Health Game modules (global + §20 Germany) | 2,250.00 | 9,000.00 | 18,000.00 |
| Coaching | 900.00 | 4,320.00 | 7,200.00 |
| AI Coaching subscriptions | 718.00 | 10,764.00 | 28,704.00 |
| Workplace-wellness cooperations | 0.00 | 4,000.00 | 12,500.00 |
| Total income = Gross income I | 3,868.00 | 28,084.00 | 66,404.00 |
| less operating expenses | 4,530.00 | 9,060.00 | 9,060.00 |
| Total operating result = Gross income II | -662.00 | 19,024.00 | 57,344.00 |
| Depreciation on investments | 400.00 | 400.00 | 400.00 |
| Total basis for income tax | -1,062.00 | 18,624.00 | 56,944.00 |
| Personal drawings / cost of living | 9,324.00 | 18,648.00 | 18,648.00 |
| Total operating result less personal drawings = Cash flow | -9,986.00 | 376.00 | 38,696.00 |
| + Side income (lecturing) | 4,000.00 | 8,000.00 | 8,000.00 |
| + Founding subsidy (6 months × Dollar2,000) | 12,000.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Total profitability | 6,014.00 | 8,376.00 | 46,696.00 |
| Cumulative cash flow | 6,014.00 | 14,390.00 | 61,086.00 |
Notes:
2026 (founding year, 6 months):
- Start-up phase with low revenues (Dollar3,868)
- Operating costs: 6 months × Dollar755 = Dollar4,530
- Operating cash flow negative (-Dollar662), but through founding subsidy (Dollar12,000) and side income (Dollar4,000) positive overall profitability of Dollar6,014
- Personal drawings: 6 months × (Dollar1,180 cost of living + Dollar374 insurance) = Dollar9,324
- Founding subsidy: 6 × Dollar2,000 = Dollar12,000
2027 (Year 2):
- Significant revenue growth to Dollar28,084
- Operating costs: 12 months × Dollar755 = Dollar9,060
- Operating annual surplus: Dollar19,024
- Personal drawings: 12 months × Dollar1,554 = Dollar18,648
- Despite a positive operating result, low cash flow (Dollar376) after personal drawings
- With side income (Dollar8,000), positive overall profitability: Dollar8,376
2028 (Year 3):
- Strong revenue growth to Dollar66,404
- Operating costs remain constant: Dollar9,060 (assumption: no scaling of fixed costs)
- Operating annual surplus: Dollar57,344
- Positive cash flow of Dollar38,696 after personal drawings
- Overall profitability incl. side income: Dollar46,696
- Cumulative cash flow: Dollar61,086
Liquidity Safeguarding:
- Founding subsidy secures the first 6 months
- Side income from university lecturing in all three years
- Equity reserve of Dollar22,500 available for bridging
- Low capital requirement due to digital business model
- Positive overall profitability in all periods
- If needed: return to employment (physiotherapy/IT) possible at any time
Marketing Materials & Market Access
SaaS Platform
Homepage: www.seriousbenentertainment.org
The central web platform serves as the hub for all services:
Technical implementation:
- Frontend: Angular-based single-page application
- Backend: Cloud-native architecture (Snowflake, Node.js)
- AI integration: Conversational AI, personalized recommendations
- Responsive design: Optimized for desktop, tablet, and mobile
Functions:
- User registration and management (worldwide)
- Access to all Serious Health Game modules (with optional domestic-reimbursement workflows where applicable, e.g., §20 certificate management for the German market)
- AI-supported coaching dashboard
- Free diagnostic tools and questionnaires
- Booking system for coaching
- Multi-currency billing (Dollar-led) and domestic certificate management
- Blog with health tips (content marketing)
Product Portfolio
Serious Health Game Modules (150 Dollars each, global price)
1. BenBen - Back School – Flagship Module
- Serious Game for back health, with characters and narrative authored by Phelire Chisi (creative direction) and clinical content by Benjamin Gross
- 8–10 weeks structured program
- Evidence-based exercises (Brügger Therapy and others)
- Gamification elements and AI posture detection (CNN)
- Domestic adaptation example: prepared for §20 SGB V certification in Germany (first domestic-reimbursement channel)
2. Relaxation Training
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Mindfulness exercises
- Audio-supported sessions
3. Qi-Gong
- Video-based movement instructions
- Step-by-step tutorials
- Traditional Chinese movement art
Coaching Services
AI-supported Coaching (Dollar30.00/month):
- Conversational AI for daily reflection
- Personalized development plans
- Behavior tracking and feedback
- Evidence-based recommendations
Coaching (Dollar125/session):
- 60-minute individual sessions
- Video coaching via secure platform
- Holistic approach (body, mind, behavior)
- Focus: burnout prevention, work-life balance, leadership skills
Free Lead Generation
Diagnostic Apps: - Personality questionnaires (e.g., burnout risk) - Back check - Stress level assessment - Mini self-reflection games
After evaluation: Personalized recommendations for paid offerings
Mobile App (planned)
App Name: BenBen
Status: Development planned for 2027 (worldwide territories)
Functions: - All web functions as a native app - Offline use of selected content - Push notifications for coaching - Integration with Apple Health / Google Fit
Appendix
Information on the Founding Subsidy
The founding subsidy from the Federal Employment Agency is a central funding measure for new business creation. The application is made in two phases:
Phase 1 (mandatory benefit if requirements are met):
- Duration: 6 months
- Amount: Most recently received unemployment benefit + Dollar300 lump sum
- In my case: approx. Dollar1,700 ALG I + Dollar300 = Dollar2,000 monthly
- Total: Dollar12,000 for 6 months
Phase 2 (discretionary benefit):
- Duration: a further 9 months
- Amount: Dollar300 monthly
- Total: Dollar2,700 (if granted)
Requirements (met):
- Receipt of unemployment benefit I with a remaining entitlement of at least 150 days
- Viable business concept (this business plan)
- Personal and professional suitability (demonstrated by qualifications)
- Statement from a competent body (e.g., Cologne Business)
Significance for the founding:
- Securing cost of living during the start-up phase
- Enables focus on product development and market build-up
- Significantly reduces financial risk
- Additionally: continuation of social insurances
Response to the Cologne Business Checklist
The following overview addresses the central questions of the Cologne Business checklist for founding preparation. Although the studio operates globally, this checklist is retained as it is required for the German founding-subsidy application (one of several funding channels evaluated):
1. Personal and professional prerequisites:
2. Founding concept and market opportunities:
3. Competitive situation:
4. Location choice:
5. Legal form:
- Sole proprietorship / freelancer (coach, IT service provider) for the founding phase
- Possible later conversion into a corporate vehicle (e.g., GmbH or Malawian company structure) in the case of strong growth or institutional investment
6. Permits:
- Trade registration required
- §20 SGB V certification for the German market (one domestic-adaptation step; not required for global sales)
- Data protection: GDPR compliance for European users, plus equivalent regulations in other markets where applicable
7. Profitability:
8. Financing:
9. Insurance:
- Professional liability insurance (coach/IT consultant): Dollar40 monthly
- Private health insurance: Dollar363 monthly
- Pension insurance: Dollar00.00 monthly
- Retirement provision through private property in Malawi (Phelire’s home country, with low cost of living)