Chapter 12 Textbook Level
Chapter 12 Textbook Level
On page ten, which is also the last page, the vision of "Jiaotong University Matchmaker" is presented in a straightforward manner.
The background image is a warm silhouette of a group of young people enjoying themselves in the sunshine, with the Jiaotong University emblem, product logo, and the straightforward QQ and email address clearly displayed at the bottom.
At the center of the page is a line of large, eye-catching text that serves as both the project's vision and its core slogan:
"So that you, who are excellent, are no longer excellent in solitude."
"This is the vision of our 'Jiaotong University Matchmakers'! My presentation ends here, thank you everyone!" Geng Zhi's words fell clearly, and he bowed calmly.
Almost simultaneously, the countdown timer on the stage reached zero.
As per the previous procedure, after the presentation, regardless of the performance, there would be a round of polite applause, after which the host would take the stage to guide the audience into the Q&A session.
However, at this moment, when Geng Zhizhi stood up and faced the audience, the lecture hall fell into a brief, impenetrable silence.
The applause didn't come as expected, and the host seemed frozen in time, forgetting to go on stage.
It was as if time had suddenly slowed down. The judges, the audience, and the host were all still immersed in the impact of the speech and had not yet fully recovered.
The silence was broken by a voice from the back of the audience, still wanting more: "You're... done already?"
The audience seemed to awaken from a dream.
Immediately afterwards, thunderous applause erupted like a long-accumulated tide, instantly engulfing the entire lecture hall.
The applause came not only from the completely captivated audience; all seven judges on the panel joined in the applause as well.
This honor is something that none of the previous eight groups of contestants had ever received.
"This straightforward guy... he must be a graduate student from the School of Economics and Management, right?" Sitting in the audience, Zhang Xuhao looked at the composed figure on the stage and couldn't help but sigh softly, "He's too strong, I'm completely convinced."
"Chunmei, you've really struck gold this time!" Roommate Huang Lijuan couldn't hide her excitement, slapping Ma Chunmei's arm hard, then turning to Niu Baoguo, "Your fellow villager, you've been keeping this a secret for a long time!"
Niu Baoguo straightened his back, his face beaming with a proud, simple smile, muttering, "That's right, my fellow villager is truly a hidden talent!"
Ma Chunmei let out a long sigh of relief, as if a huge burden had been lifted. Her eyes shone as she murmured, "Hmm... as long as I pass the preliminary exam, the retest... should be a sure thing."
At this moment, the host finally came to his senses and quickly walked back to the center of the stage.
Looking at the composed and straightforward Geng Zhi standing beside her, she couldn't help but blurt out, "This is the most brilliant roadshow presentation I've ever heard since I started hosting."
As a professional host, praising Geng Zhi in this way is essentially comparing him to the other eight contestants, which is unfair, but she simply couldn't resist.
She wasn't the only one who felt the same way.
Zhu Xiaohu, sitting on the judges' panel, felt a slight stirring in his heart at this moment.
He understands that the dating and social networking industry is extremely complex and its success is influenced by too many factors.
Although the "Chiao Tung University Matchmaker" project seemed quite promising, and the speaker's explanations were quite logical, it was ultimately just empty talk.
Talking on paper and actually doing are two different things; and doing actually doing is even more different from doing it well and doing it big.
Especially for a college student like Geng Zhi who has no industry experience, he might make a small profit from this project if he's lucky, but the chances of becoming a giant in the industry are slim.
However, these practical considerations do not affect Zhu Xiaohu's high regard for Geng Zhi's personal abilities.
In recent years, he has participated in dozens of various entrepreneurial roadshows, which are of a much higher level than these campus competitions.
However, whether it was the PPT structure, the narrative logic, or the control of the pacing of the performance, the young man's performance on stage was enough to surpass any entrepreneur he could remember.
From the initial icebreaker to the analysis of pain points, presentation of solutions, product demonstration, market validation, business model planning, team introduction, and even financing ideas, the entire process flowed smoothly and was a textbook example.
He secretly decided that after the meeting, he would design Geng Zhi's PPT into a business plan template and share it with other entrepreneurs.
"Thank you, Ma... oh, Gengzhi, for your wonderful presentation!" The host quickly adjusted his demeanor, his voice slightly raised. "Now, let's move on to the judges' question and answer session."
Her gaze swept across the judges' panel, where she saw Professor Gou Youqian, Professor Qi Chuqin, and Teacher Jin Zhilong all leaning forward, eager to try their luck.
Just as she was about to call on Professor Qi to ask a question, Vice Principal Yang Jinqian, who was sitting in the middle, coughed lightly.
The host understood and smiled, gesturing to Vice Principal Yang: "Vice Principal Yang, please give your comments first."
Yang Jinqian gently held the microphone, his face bearing his usual gentle smile, and affirmed, "Gengzhi, your project is very creative, and your analysis of the industry's pain points is quite insightful."
However, he abruptly changed the subject: "But the words 'Jiaotong University Matchmaker' make me personally very uneasy."
Although Yang Jinqian spoke slowly, the entire room fell silent instantly.
Geng Zhi's heart sank slightly.
"By linking the school's brand with your commercialized dating services, any disputes or negative news will directly impact the reputation of 'Jiao Tong University'."
"Furthermore, will closely associating a top university with the word 'matchmaker' dilute the school's rigorous and rational academic image? How do you avoid this conflict in brand connotation?"
Yang Jinqian spoke slowly, but his words were sharp and incisive.
His stance was very clear: while he didn't oppose the matchmaking program itself, he was more concerned with protecting the university's century-old reputation. In his view, the name "Jiaotong University Matchmaker" inevitably carried the suspicion of exploiting the university's reputation for personal gain.
Down in the audience, Ma Chunmei, who had just been immersed in joy, suddenly felt her heart leap into her throat.
She knew all too well the weight of Vice President Yang's word. If she answered honestly and carelessly, the "Jiaotong University Matchmaker" project would likely be canceled immediately, and all her plans would come to naught.
His straightforward mind was racing.
Because of the tight schedule, when naming the project, he only thought about incorporating the characteristics of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, flattering the school, and gaining more points in terms of personal connections. He didn't even consider the issue of "school reputation" that Vice President Yang mentioned!
However, Vice Principal Yang's questions were public and direct, leaving him little room to dodge, nor was it appropriate for him to dodge.
At this point, he absolutely cannot choose to defend himself, much less naively promise "absolutely no risk".
He took a deep breath, met Vice Principal Yang's gaze calmly, and spoke with great respect:
"Thank you, President Yang, for raising this crucial question. Your concerns are absolutely correct. This is precisely the core issue we have been repeatedly considering when we were conceiving the project: how to ensure that the 'Jiaotong University Matchmaker' not only does not damage the university's reputation, but also becomes a new vehicle to showcase Jiaotong University's educational achievements."
In the current situation, Geng Zhi resorted to the kind of flattery he disliked most in his previous life.
"So please allow me to clarify first that in the project, 'Jiaotong University' is not a trademark, but a 'credit benchmark' and a 'value filter'."
Upon hearing this, several judges were slightly taken aback.
"Our original intention was that when people mention 'Jiaotong University Matchmaker,' they should think not of an ordinary dating platform, but of a trustworthy social circle composed of well-educated people with shared values. This is precisely an extension and enhancement of the 'Jiaotong University' brand connotation."
Geng Zhi paused slightly, his tone becoming calm and pragmatic:
"Our offline events are held in open and safe venues, targeting university students from well-known universities in Shanghai and white-collar workers from high-quality companies. We also have dedicated operations staff to verify identities, so the risks are controllable. In the future, as the scale grows, we will also include alumni from law schools and insurance companies."
"Most importantly, our operating entity is an independent commercial company, separate from Jiaotong University itself. Of course, if the university still considers it risky, we can change the name of our project."
Actually, by this point in the fabrication, Geng Zhi had already answered the question beyond expectations. Although Vice Principal Yang did not express his opinion on the spot, he nodded slightly to show his approval.
But Geng Zhi wanted more than that; he didn't want to miss this golden opportunity to boost his image.
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P.S.: Three chapters today! Please read on, recommend, vote with your monthly tickets, and comment to help this seedling grow strong. Thank you so much!
PNB