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ETS Product Strategy - TOEFL Primary
Advancing English Proficiency Worldwide
A. Buyer Persona Details
B. Market Data and Global Outlook
C. ETS Landscape
D. Product Offering Summaries
E. User Narrative
F. API Solution Analysis
G. End-to-End User Journeys
H. Success Metrics & Risk Mitigation
I. Implementation Roadmap
J. Financial Estimates
K. Future Press Release
L. Acronyms for English Language Instruction
M. Links & Resources
My Notes
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J. Financial Estimates

Investment

Here are some rough estimates for the development, marketing, and support costs for launching the TOEFL Primary API.

Development Costs

Initial API platform build: $500K - $800K
Includes core architecture, cloud hosting, security, docs site
Ongoing engineering: $200K per year
2-3 dedicated developers for enhancements and maintenance
Content integration: $50K per partner
Customizing API for each platform's content and use cases

Marketing Costs

Launch campaign: $300K - $500K
Webinars, paid ads, conference booth, initial collateral
Ongoing promotion: $100K per year
SEO, social media ads, developer community engagement

Support Costs

Documentation: $40K
Technical docs, integration guides, samples
Customer Support: $200K per year
2 dedicated reps for onboarding, technical support
Account Management: $100K per year
1 account manager for ongoing partner relationships
These estimates can be refined further by benchmarking comparable platform initiatives and factoring geographic and segment variability. But it provides an initial ballpark for planning the core operational requirements and their associated costs. The key will be balancing these investments with the revenue potential to maintain healthy margins.

Revenue Projections

Assuming TOEFL Primary is generating $50 million a year currently and the aim is to more than double that figure by Year 2, it means we need to generate at least an additional $50 million over the two years, targeting at least $75 million in Year 1 and $100+ million by Year 2.
Given our proposed API solution and the potential it carries, here’s how we might break down additional revenue streams.

Integration Fees

By offering the API to educational platforms, schools, and institutions, we can charge an upfront integration fee.
Hypothetical Projection:
Year 1: 500 platforms x $10,000 each = $5 million
Year 2: 1,000 platforms x $10,000 each = $10 million

Usage-based Subscription Pricing

Schools, institutions, and apps might pay a monthly/annual fee based on the number of students or tests taken through the platform.
Hypothetical Projection:
Year 1: 200,000 students x $10/year = $2 million
Year 2: 400,000 students x $10/year = $4 million

Premium Services

Offer advanced analytics, personalized learning recommendations, and additional resources at a premium.
Hypothetical Projection:
Year 1: 50,000 subscriptions x $20/year = $1 million
Year 2: 100,000 subscriptions x $20/year = $2 million

Partnerships with EdTech Companies

Provide exclusive access, customized test prep material, or co-branded solutions for large EdTech players.
Hypothetical Projection:
Year 1: 10 partnerships x $500,000 = $5 million
Year 2: 20 partnerships x $500,000 = $10 million

Bulk Licensing to Schools/Districts

Offer packages to schools and districts where they can get volume discounts, ensuring larger deals.
Hypothetical Projection:
Year 1: 50 schools x $50,000 = $2.5 million
Year 2: 100 schools x $50,000 = $5 million

Licensing to Test Prep Providers

License out real TOEFL items to test prep providers to simulate the high-stakes exam experience.
Hypothetical Projection:
Year 1: 100 providers x $20,000 = $2 million
Year 2: 200 providers x $20,000 = $4 million

Summary

Adding these up, we get:
Year 1 Additional Revenue: $17.5 million
Year 2 Additional Revenue: $35 million
This means by the end of Year 2, the revenue, when combined with the original TOEFL Primary earnings, would be:
Year 1 Total Revenue: $50 million (base) + $17.5 million (additional) = $67.5 million
Year 2 Total Revenue: $50 million (base) + $35 million (additional) = $85 million
While it's short of doubling the original figure by Year 2, it's a substantial increase. For achieving the targeted $100+ million by Year 2, more aggressive strategies, higher pricing, or exploring other revenue streams would be necessary.

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