Market expansion research & go-to-market strategy - ON-1173

Project type: Innovation
Desired discipline(s): Operations research, Mathematical Sciences, Business, Social Sciences & Humanities
Company: CMAI
Project Length: 4 to 6 months
Preferred start date: 03/02/2026
Language requirement: English
Location(s): Toronto, ON, Canada
No. of positions: 1
Desired education level: Undergraduate/BachelorMaster's
Open to applicants registered at an institution outside of Canada: No

About the company: 

CMAI is an advanced Artificual Intelligence (AI) technology company focused on transforming property management operations through artificial intelligence driven operation management and workflow automation. The firm not only unifies the entire end-to-end property managment workflows, but also leverages properties’ data, maintaince records and regulations to build a predictive serivce model to significantly drive property management efficiency, energy and reserouce saving, environment and social sustainbility, driving asset value growth.

Describe the project.: 

The Canadian PropTech (Property Technology) sector is rapidly saturating, yet adoption rates among traditional property managers remain inconsistent. While technical innovation (AI, IoT) is accelerating, the "business model innovation" required to integrate these tools into legacy workflows is often overlooked. Many startups fail not due to technical feasibility, but due to a lack of validated Product-Market Fit (PMF) and misunderstood unit economics.
The primary goal of this research project is to conduct a rigorous Market Expansion Study & Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy. The project moves beyond simple "market research" to perform a quantitative analysis of the Canadian real estate landscape. It aims to identify the specific segments—ranging from boutique residential managers to large-scale Commercial REITs—where the company’s AI ecosystem creates the highest immediate economic value (EVA).
Specific research activities will include executing a "Customer Discovery" campaign (following the Lean Startup methodology) involving 100+ structured interviews to map the decision-making matrices of property management and owners. The research will also mathematically model the Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) to Lifetime Value (LTV) ratios for different service tiers.
Ultimately, this project is designed to bridge the gap between "Technical Capability" and "Commercial Viability." It will deliver a validated roadmap that aligns the company’s AI products with specific regulatory needs and budgetary cycles of Canadian property owners, reducing the financial risk of commercialization.

Required expertise/skills: 

1. Technical Competencies (Hard Skills)
• Financial Modeling: Advanced proficiency in Excel/Financial logic to build 3-year Pro Forma projections, SaaS unit economics (Churn, MRR, ARR), and pricing sensitivity models.
• Market Analysis: Experience with market sizing frameworks and competitive intelligence gathering.
• Data Visualization: Ability to present complex market data in clear decks (PowerPoint/Tableau).
• CRM Management: Experience using CRM tools (HubSpot/Salesforce) to track research leads and interview data.
2. Research Focus Areas (Soft Skills)
• Customer Discovery: Comfort with conducting cold outreach and structuring unbiased interviews with industry executives (The "Mom Test" methodology).
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to synthesize qualitative feedback into a concrete business strategy.