Development of an innovative startup for enhancing local commerce through the use of AI tools and the Lean methodology

This master's thesis project is centered around the development of an innovative startup named "Qualoc". The project encompasses two primary objectives that have driven its progress. The first objective aims to establish a successful business that leverages the knowledge acquired during the master's degree to offer innovative software solutions to address a pressing problem. Multiple studies show that the Italian local retail industry is facing a decline, primarily due to the limited digital presence of local stores. Qualoc intends to address this challenge by introducing an e-commerce platform that utilizes an innovative approach to digitize the network of proximity stores, thereby revitalizing the sector. The second objective of this thesis is to both apply and critically evaluate a well-established methodology known as the "Lean Startup Method", created by Eric Ries. The Lean methodology places a strong emphasis on identifying and addressing customer needs, optimizing resource allocation, and conducting rapid experimentation, in order to achieve maximum learning with the minimum time and effort, therefore achieving maximum efficiency in reaching the hypothetical goal of “understanding what is the best solution for a problem”. This document provides a comprehensive overview of the entire development journey of Qualoc, following the framework proposed by Ries. The journey begins with the identification and validation of a prevalent problem, followed by the conceptualization and validation of a suitable solution. According to the Lean methodology, the next step involves creating a prototype, known as the Minimum Viable Product, for early testing and feedback. Analyzing the MVP's performance in the real market yields valuable insights into customer needs, guiding the iterative development of an economically and socially viable product. The development required the incorporation of several industry-standard advanced technologies, such as React and MongoDB, renowned for their exceptional efficiency and comprehensiveness. Furthermore, the project leverages the power of a large language model, "davinci" offered by OpenAI, to provide users with essential features that significantly enhance its functionality and performance, in such a way to transform a technological advancement in a competitive advantage on the market. Additionally, various auxiliary activities such as branding, marketing, financial analysis, competitor research, and more have been indispensable to the successful completion of this project. The integration of these efforts not only culminated in the development of a sophisticated software solution but also laid the foundation for establishing an entire corporate entity.