businessplan - changemakers · workshop in vienna and provides on the-job-training together with...

BUSINESSPLAN

von Simone Melda und Melanie Ruff

RUFFBOARDS Sportartikel GmbH

Hofstattgasse 4/1

A-1180 Wien

Office: +43 680 230 60 71

Mail: [email protected]

Web: http://ruffboards.com

Wien, Februar 2015

http://ruffboards.com/

RUFFBOARDS BUSINESSPLAN Februar 2015

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Table of content

1_EXECUTIVE SUMMERY ......................................................................................................................................... 3

2_ The IDEA ............................................................................................................................................................. 5

3_ INNOVATION....................................................................................................................................................... 9

4_ The PRODUCT ................................................................................................................................................... 10

5_ The RUFF-TEAM ................................................................................................................................................ 15

5_SPORTS-MARKET................................................................................................................................................ 17

6_ FUTURE AMBITIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 18


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1_EXECUTIVE SUMMERY

RUFFBOARDS produces uniquely designed, high-end longboards (skateboards) by upcycling used snowboards and

maximizes social impact through a highly integrative production process by employing former offenders in the

manufacturing process.

The aim of RUFFBOARDS is to reduce re-offending rates of ex-offenders by training and placing graduates upon their

release within the industry. Ex-offenders tend to be low-skilled, the majority lacking any academic or vocational

qualification. Most are long-term unemployed or have never entered the labor market. Their lack of social and life skills

can be a major barrier, not just to entering the workplace, but also to coping with everyday life and to be reintegrated

into a community.

RUFFBOARDS represents a genuine opportunity for change, offering ex-prisoners the chance to manufacture trendy

products, do product design, and gain qualifications as well as experience in an exciting, operational business and in-

depth guidance to find full-time employment within the production industry upon release. RUFFBOARDS operates a

workshop in Vienna and provides on the-job-training together with Verein Neustart (Non-profit-organization).

Currently, we are producing together with Verein Neustart. We’ll employee the first former offender in July 2015. Based

on the revenue stream from 2014 we will plan the second season with Verein Neustart and train an additional four

employees needed for the second season, production since December 2014.

For 2016 our goal is to work with experienced companies scaling and replicating our concept through the EU wide

Impact HUB network. In 2016 we expect to be able to export or share our knowledge and manufacturing process with

start-ups or other companies outside of Austria. Within five years we want to be present in 10 cities across the EU and

employ 50+ former offenders in our workshops and successfully sell thousands of upcycled longboards in the majority of


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European countries through a network of retailers, partners (concept stores) and our own online store

(www.ruffboards.com/shop).

In addition to that, we promote and sell our products at trend-sport, music and design related events. In 2015, based on

the number of our already sold boards, we will sell 170+ boards, in 2016 more than 680 and 2017 more than 1.800.

Hence we'll reach a sale of more than 2.400 per annum by the end of 2018, which makes us a EUR600k/year company.

RUFFBOARDS has been initiated by Melanie Ruff and Simone Melda, both passionate boarders and start-up entrepreneurs

focused on creating a unique brand combining social and environmental consciousness with modern urban lifestyle. In

addition, the founding team is supported by experienced mentors (SAP, social impact GmbH), ambassadors (Nikolaus

Hutter, Toniic), coaches (Social Impact Start, Impact HUB Vienna), and an ever growing group of customers and friends.

The combination of environmental consciousness and sustainable products made in a social responsible way is highly

attractive for the extremely dynamic LOHAS segment (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability – responsible consumers),

who are the trendsetters and opinion-leaders for larger parts of the society.

http://www.ruffboards.com/shop


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2_ The IDEA

Young people, especially from disadvanted backgrounds, sometimes make mistakes. Society is generally not very

forgiving of such mistakes, and the consequences for the individual, and for society, can be long-lasting and very serious.

With the right support, a new start is possible – here’s the story of Thomas S.:

Interview with Thomas S. - employee at Verein Neustart since 2013:

Five years ago, at the age of twenty, I made a series of stupid decisions that culminated in my participation in

breaking into a house. I didn’t know that the family was at home and I tried to escape but I was caught and got

charged. Convicted, I was sent to prison where I served four and a half years.

I have tried to make amends for my actions and part of my release conditions was to apologize to the victims.

I've done my time, but it lingers with me.

As I started to search for a job, I found out that there is no chance for ex-offenders to get one. I worked hard to

not become a victim of my own environment - that prevented me from gaining a meaningful employment. I

became frustrated by companies unwilling to give me a chance, till I found employment at Verein Neustart.

Ruffboards is a modern, conscious company whose goal it is to help young offenders reintegrate into society through an

innovative approach combining work integration, on-the job training, and mentoring with the appeal of a modern, eco-

conscious consumer product with mass-market appeal.

The issue The issue of re-offending has become one of the pressing challenges European society is facing today. 2012 Kevin

Maton published research on a good practice guide for social enterprises working together with former offenders co-

financed by the European Social Fund. He highlighted that ex-offenders who have a job are between 30 % and 50 % less

likely to-re-offend. With in-work support and encouragement, these figures can be improved further (Kevin Maton, Good Practice Guide for Social Enterprises: Ex-offenders & Employment. Social Enterprise West Midlands. June 2012).


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37,9% of offenders released in Austria re-offend within the first year and for those at age 14-17, this number increases

to 65,4%. Since the 1950's, Verein Neustart has worked with 270.000 former offenders in Austria and Germany. Their

experience shows, that re-offending can be reduced by 30%-50% by getting them employed (Studie Legalbiografien

from Verein Neustart clients, Institut für Rechts- und Kriminalsoziologie, Hofinger/Neumann, 2008). The aim of

RUFFBOARDS is to reduce re-offending rates of ex-offenders by training and employment in industry with the support of

the Verein Neustart ex-offender career mentoring scheme.

As part of the program graduates receive dedicated support from their mentor at Verein Neustart to seek full-time

employment within the workshop as well as help to secure accommodation, obtain financial help, open a bank account

and anything else needed to ease their reintegration back into society.

RUFFBOARDS targets those who are unemployed in Vienna (starting in 2016 in other EU-countries) and face multiple

barriers to employment, including long-term unemployment, lack of education, skills or qualifications, homelessness,

alcohol or mental health issues. These barriers mean that many ex-offenders have little hope of finding employment

without support.

A job placement in a supportive social enterprise like RUFFBOARDS is one such initiative. We talked to organizations like

Verein Neustart (Vienna) and Jugend am Werk (Vienna) involved in this area of work. Learning from their experience was

essential for developing the manufacturing process and the daily workflows.

Having an impact RUFFBOARDS is a longboard brand from Vienna, Austria, that produces uniquely designed, upcycled boards. By

combining the modern, urban trend of longboarding with the upcycling philosophy, RUFFBOARDS manages to create a

highly appealing package that is leveraged to integrate marginalized groups (ex-offenders) into the economy and

society, as well as to draw attention to their condition, thus raising awareness.

Our longboards are made from post-consumer waste. Customers can help us to make the world a better place. EU-

countries currently recycle 35% of its waste annually. Our aim is to rise up the percentage bar in Europe by creating win-

win situations and build awesome longboards. Upcycling is all about taking what is thrown away and turning it into

something you can't wait to use. Based on that, we developed the product line OLD BOARD- NEW STORY. Our customers


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are able to ride their old, transformed snowboard again.

The Solution We assist young people on the path to employment by offering on-the-job-training and jobs together with Verein

Neustart, an experienced non-profit organization in Austria and Germany (www.neustart.at). Our aim is to reduce re-

offending by providing opportunities for young offenders.

Verein Neustart, an organization with over 50 years of experience, offers an established system for re-introducing young

offenders to the job market. We provide a new product - a new challenge - for those young people. Thus the business,

the costumers, Verein Neustart and the young offenders benefit from this collaboration.

Activities We developed a manufacturing process which can easily be learned by people who are not trained in woodwork. This

was possible thanks to a collaboration with Carpentry Rauscher (Bau-und Möbeltischlerei Hermann Rauscher, Graz

Austria) who designed a mobile milling machine which can be used without prior experience in woodwork.

It is often the case that a record of disruption and a sense of failure at school makes ex-offenders reluctant to return to a

school-like learning environment or to take part in organized ‘schemes’. In these circumstances, a strong case can be

made that something additional to, or different from, mainstream training provision is needed to meet the specific needs

of offenders and ex-offenders.

Besides their unemployment, it is also known that offenders are more likely to have a range of other barriers to

employment, including homelessness, drug issues, mental health issues, financial problems and unstable relationships.

Therefore, it is very important to work with appropriate agencies to understand as much as possible about ex-offender

beneficiaries and to help devise an appropriate work-regime for them within the social enterprise like RUFFBOARDS. We

recognized that the more attractive and interesting a work placement is - like the one offered by us - the more likely

offenders are to respond.

Measuring impact At present, the concept is to help the initial target group (young offenders) coming out of the judicial system to get

employment by leveraging RUFFBOARDS' highly recognizable and memorable brand and concept as a way to create an

initial foothold in the employment market and foster integration.

RUFFBOARDS will use the mass-market appeal of its urban-cool products to raise awareness for its target group through

http://www.neustart.at/


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online and traditional media campaigns, which has the potential to reach significant parts of the population and change

the perspective of the respective target group.

RUFFBOARDS is already on the market and has launched its brand of high-end upcycled longboards on the Austrian

market, with initial traction beyond the home market (Germany, Switzerland).

Finally, research shows that assisting ex-offenders to obtain mainstream employment will have a dramatic impact on

their lives and likelihood of re-offending (Kevin Maton, Good Practice Guide for Social Enterprises: Ex-offenders &

Employment. Social Enterprise West Midlands. June 2012). Furthermore, there are exploratory discussions with other

integrative manufacturing facilities in Austria (e.g. long-term unemployed, disabled, women, migrants etc.).


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3_ INNOVATION

What is new about our idea Leveraging social and environmental consciousness in the design, production, distribution, and branding of consumer

products is not new, but has – so far – not been applied in this fully integrated way to the boarding market.

Longboarding is a fast-growing segment of the skateboard market and a highly appealing trend with mass-market

appeal.

RUFFBOARDS offers a unique, holistic, and highly attractive package that combines high-end design, top quality and the

trendy appeal of longboarding, with the social and environmental consciousness of the upcycling approach and a

manufacturing process that integrates marginalized groups, and raises awareness about their condition. This

combination is extremely attractive for the highly dynamic LOHAS segment (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability –

responsible consumers), who are the trendsetters and opinion-leaders for larger parts of society.

On the technology side, RUFFBOARDS has been innovating around the entire design and production process, resulting in

a proprietary manufacturing and upcycling process that is highly scalable and can easily be replicated in various settings

in order to allow for maximum impact.

Our inspiration RUFFBOARDS is about three things: First, the concept is about eco-friendly longboards which are providing a “travel

well” feeling by covering the urban need of an alternative and trendy transportation gadget . Secondly it's about former

offenders. Former offenders who really want to get a job but don't get the chance to have one.

Thirdly, the RUFFBOARDS team is also aware of the low wage workers and their conditions which are producing cheap

sport goods for big companies. It’s important for us to set a good example as well as raising awareness about the

conditions of the workers which suffer under this system. For that reason and for the reason we’re into boards sports

since many years, we’re producing upcycled longboards.

Hence, we put these three things together and work with former offenders here in the Vienna, mostly young people who

have had very little opportunity, and we help them learn to make gorgeous sport goods, which you and I can use, safe in

the knowledge that our clients had a very good start (back) into working life.


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4_ The PRODUCT

RUFFBOARDS is the first skateboard producer, who manufactures longboards together with ex-prisoners. RUFFBOARDS

produces longboards while upcycling old snowboards.

We just recently settled in vienna, being the only skateboard manufactory in town and also the only one led by women.

The business idea originated from the desire of skating a ecofriendly and socially fair produced longboard.

We receive the old snowboards from skiing schools, professional snowoard riders and privat persons.

In cooperation with the organisation „NEUSTART“ unique boards are being manufactured. „NEUSTART“ helps former

prisoners through their way back to normal life.

Our product range allows us to offer three different types of RUFFBOARDS: "Die fesche Sopherl", "Die Pummerin" and

"der Berti".

!!!!!GERMAN BELOW!!!

4_1 The Longboard- Complete Decks

Complete Boards - Die fesche Sopherl: Twin-tip / Freeride; 29,5" - 39,3"

http://www.ruffboards.com/shapes/die-fesche-sopherl/

- Die Pummerin: Pintail / Cruising; 39,3",

http://www.ruffboards.com/shapes/die-pummerin/

- Der Berti, Cruiser/ City Cruiser, 29,5"

http://www.ruffboards.com/shapes/der-berti/

http://www.ruffboards.com/shapes/die-fesche-sopherl/

http://www.ruffboards.com/shapes/die-pummerin/

http://www.ruffboards.com/shapes/der-berti/


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Technische Eigenschaften Ein Longboard ist ein Vorgänger des Skateboard. Es ist länger als die gewöhnlichen Boards – in der Regel ist es

zwischen 90 und 150 Zentimeter lang, sie können aber auch über 210 Zentimeter lang sein– und hat dementsprechend

einen größeren Achsabstand (wheelbase). Des Weiteren werden beim Longboard größere Rollen (wheels) aus

weicherem Polyurethan als normal montiert, damit von unebenem Untergrund herrührende Stöße besser absorbiert

werden. Zusammen mit dem erweiterten Achsabstand ermöglichen sie so eine verbesserte Fahrstabilität bei höheren

Geschwindigkeiten.

Nachhaltig und fair konsumieren

Alle RUFFBOARDS sind Einzelstücke und in Handarbeit gefertigt. Damit entspricht das Design, das Produkt und die

Herstellungsweise den Bedürfnissen einer zunehmend kritischen und umweltbewussten Kundschaft. Für die

Kartonverpackungen der Boards werden zum großen Teil weggeworfene Verpackung ( z.B.: Sportgeschäfte:

Snowboardverpackungen) des Einzelhandels verwendet.

Für KundInnen, die einzigartige Stücke zu schätzen wissen, ihrer Individualität Ausdruck verleihen möchten und zugleich

die Umwelt schonen.

Longboarden: Ein Sport für alle!

Durch die speziellen Reifen (großer Durchmesser und weicher Kunststoff) und den großen Radstand ist Longboarden

einfach zu erlernen und im Gegensatz zum Skateboarden wesentlich sicherer. Diese beiden Aspekte führen dazu, dass

zunehmend Frauen und Jugendliche diesen Sport ausüben.


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4_2 Mein altes Snowboard: der Umbau Service, Markteintritt September 2015

OLD BOARD - NEW STORY Seit den 1990er Jahren wurden in Österreich rund 500.000 Snowboards verkauft und jährlich kommen 25.000 hinzu. Die

alten Boards verstauben meist in Kellern. Hier setzt die Serviceinnovation OLD BOARD - NEW STORY an, welche die

Boards für den Schnee zum Longboard für die Straße umwandelt.

Ein Online Board Builder ermöglicht es KundInnen, ihr altes Snowboard digital innerhalb von wenigen Minuten zu einem

maßgeschneiderten Longboard umzubauen.

Finanziell unterstützt wird die Serviceentwicklung und die Markteinführung vom aws Innovative Services Calls (ISC).

Das Service Es handelt es sich um eine hybride integrative Dienstleistung deren Innovation in einer 360 Grad Lösung liegt

beginnend bei der Kundenakquise, dem Verkaufs- und Beratungsleistungen bis hin zum Einsammeln der Boards, dem

Konfigurieren via online Board-Builder, dem Abbilden des Prozesses für unsere KundInnen, dem integrativen Umbau

gemeinsam mit Ex-Häftlingen und dem Verschicken der fertigen Longboards.

Unser Service richtet sich an alle, die ein Snowboard besitzen, das nicht mehr benutzt wird. Diese Zielgruppe umfasst ca.

500.000 Personen in Österreich, etwa 600.000 in der Schweiz und mehr als 4 Millionen in Deutschland (Monava, 2010).

Technologie-Plattform Der Online Board Builder bietet unseren KundInnen eine 360-Grad Lösung: vom online buchbaren Abholservice des

alten Snowboards, über die Möglichkeit zum Selbstgestalten, dem professionellen Umbau, bis zur Auslieferung jedes

persönlichen Longboards ist alles in unserem Service inkludiert.

Partner Netzwerk Im Sportgroßhandel und im Snowboardverleih (Bereits existierende Kooperation mit Hervis Sports und Blue Tomato, die

im Zuge des Projektes erweitert werden sollen) sollen die KundInnen ihre Snowboards abgeben können.

Online Community Board Builder mit Schnittstellen zu anderen Plattformen (Online Shops, Foren, Blogs) um die bestehenden Netzwerke

http://www.awsg.at/Content.Node/foerderungen_alle/gruenden/123991.php


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effektiv zu nutzen und mit den Schnittstellenpartnern durch das Service, die Plattformen für NutzerInnen attraktiver zu

machen (mehr Zugriffe und längere Verweildauern auf der jeweiligen Schnittstelle).

Wesentliche Planzahlen

Nach dem Start der ersten Testläufe im Mai 2015 soll bereits im ersten Förderjahr ein Umsatz von über €12.000

generiert werden. Die Kosten für den Umbau Service belaufen sich auf €180,- plus rd. €140 Wareneinsatz für das sog.

Set-Up (Achsen, Kugellager, Griptape und Räder) bei der Auslieferung eines Komplettboards (= €320). Nach dem

Markteintritt 2016 rechnen wir mit einem jährlichen Umsatz von € 64.000, das entspricht einem Umbau von 200 Boards.

4_3 Umbauservice für Snowboard Brands

Upcyceln für Snowboard Brands Ein weiteres Geschäftsfeld stellt der Umbau von "third ware" Snowboards für Snowboards Brands dar. Diese Boards

beinhalten zu den Herkömmlichen Produktionsschritten ein customized Design, das als Service Leistung verkauft wird.

Der Umbau ist gerade für Firmen, die nachhaltig agieren eine interessante Möglichkeit den CO2 Footprint zu verbessern.

Vertrieb

Der Vertrieb läuft über die Snowboard Brands.


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4_4 Der Up-Scooter

Konzept

Der Up-Scooter von RUFFBOARDS ist der perfekte Begleiter für den Schulweg und für Freizeit - sozial fair in Österreich

aus Industrieabfällen produziert, stellt der Up-Scooter von RUFFBOARDS eine echte Alternative zu herkömmlichen

Herstellern dar.

Produktion Wie auch schon die Longboards, fertigen wir die Up-Scooter gemeinsam mit Haftentlassenen aus dem Österreichischen

Straffvollzug. Wie bei den Longboards setzen wir auch bei den Up-Scootern auf die Zusammenarbeit mit dem Verein

NEUSTART.

Werkstoffe Das 'Up' im Namen der RUFFBOARDS Scooter bezieht sich auf die Werkstoffe. Ziel ist es, ein Produkt zu entwickeln, dass

zu einem möglichst hohen Anteil aus Industrieabfall hergestellt wird.

Alleinstellungsmerkmale Zusammenfassend hier noch einmal die Alleinstellungsmerkmale unseres neuen Produktes:

- hergestellt aus Industrieabfällen,

- Einzelstückanfertigung,

- produziert von Haftentlassenen aus dem Österreichischen Straffvollzuges,

- Made in Austria,

- entwickelt von Nachwuchsdesigner_innen österreichischer Hochschulen,

- getestet von Student_innen des Studienganges Sports Equipment Technology, Technikum Wien.

Produktpreis: 200-250 Euro.


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5_ The RUFF-TEAM

Dr. Melanie Ruff,

Co-Founder, CEO

Mel attended the college of structural engineering and completed her doctorate in history.

Simon Melda

Co-Founder, Distribution, R&D

Simone has close to 10 years experience in Sales and IT in international business.


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Mag. Nikolaus Hutter, Co-

Founder, Strategy, Finance

Nikolaus is an investment executive and entrepreneur with over 15 years international experience.

Ownership

Melanie Ruff: 45%

Simone Melda: 45%

Nikolaus Hutter: 10%

Key executives of the company Simone Melda: Distribution, R&D,

Melanie Ruff: CEO, Marketing, Production,

Nikolaus Hutter: Beirat, strategische Ausrichtungen Finanzen,

Herbert Prohaska: Production (Mitarbeiter bei NEUSTART),

David Deutsch: Production (Mitarbeiter bei NEUSTART),

Phillip Altmann: Sourcing (Snowboards),

Sanji Sansculotte: Grafik,

Felix Rauscher: Consultant production (Geschäftsführer der Tischlerei Rauscher),

Brigitte Köhler: Book keeper (Zahlenspiel).


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5_SPORTS-MARKET Branche The leisure and sports sector became more and more individual over the last years which can be seen on the

customer’s behavior. Particularly this means that some years ago only a few types of sports and activities

were frequently done as for example soccer, tennis, swimming, gymnastics, athletics and so on. Nowadays the

people are used to have much more alternation instead of being focused on one of the main types of sports.

They like to check out any kind of activity which is offered. Especially kids often change their mind and

searching for alternatives.

Beside that a Simplify- Trend is happening. This means that increasingly sport types are chosen which are not

bound on clubs and unions, which are dependent on hall and facility as for example jogging, mountain biking,

cycling, hiking, inline skating and longboarding (Source: Dr. Christian Kunze, Trends und Entwicklungslinien

als Basis für kommunale Strategien, 2011).

Longboards are more distinguished than ever. The longboard segment is a fast growing market within skate

sports. Although there are no total market figures available. In general the figures of sales of longboard

sports are growing constantly, as it’s written in the trade magazine Source. European Surf/Skate/Snow

Business. There has been an increase of almost 70% in selling longboards since the beginning of 2013. Most

popular are Cruiser-Boards shorter than 39“ like the RUFFBOARDS are, as the trend shows. Regional produced

goods which are eco-friendly produced and where the prize is blow 200€, are bestseller as CEO of Fame Wien

(skate sports shop) tells. Furthermore the number of sold longboards beating the number of sold skateboards!

(Source. European Surf/Skate/Snow Business, August/September 2013, Nr. 66, S.65ff).

Revenue Forecast

Period Units Revenue in Euro

2015 180 82.524

2016 680 170.000

2017 1.840 460.000

2018 2.416 600.000


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6_ FUTURE AMBITIONS

RUFFBOARDS has a highly sustainable and scalable business model based on selling its products directly

(online) and through retail partners at an attractive margin. The core of the model is an efficient sourcing and

manufacturing process, and effective distribution channels.

After the initial beta launch on the Austrian market, RUFFBOARDS has already manufactured and sold over a

dozen prototype boards, the interest from both consumers and distribution and retail partners is significant

and gaining increasing momentum. The team is in advanced discussions with a major snowboard retail chain

around a strategic partnership for upcycling and re-selling used snowboards.

In addition to the organic growth and smaller partnerships, several large-scale strategic distribution

partnerships can help to lift the business quickly to a new stage and thus represent a significant step towards

financial sustainability. Within three years, RUFFBOARDS plans to achieve financial sustainability (cash-flow

break-even) and thus have achieved a solid base for further expansion across several areas.

2015: Partnership with experienced companies/existing companies /scaling and replication through the EU

wide Benisi network. 2016: Export the idea/ share our knowledge and manufacturing process to start-ups or

other companies

In five years we want to:

- be present in 10 cities across the EU with production facilities,

- employ 50+ ex-offenders in our workshops,

- have found jobs for 200+ young offenders who went through our programs,

- successfully sell thousands of upcycled longboards in the majority of European countries through a

network of retailers, partners and our own online store,

- have reached tens of thousands of people through our products, media presence, and events, effectively

raising awareness around the issue of work integration for marginalized groups in the EU and

sustainability,

- be an effective model for a conscious way of consuming and producing that can be replicated by others.


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Impact in longer term Long-term employment instead of on-the-job trainings

At the beginning, Verein Neustart provided on-the-job trainings only - each training three month – in the best

cases followed by a permanent employment in the private sector of economy. Despite the young former

offenders got these internships, the barriers to the labor market were sometimes still the same as before.

- About one year ago, Verein Neustart innovated through their processes based on the things they learned.

Now they offer the possibility for ex-offenders to be able to stay in the jobs at Verein Neustart beside of

the on-the-job-trainings for “newcomers”. They have a joinery and a bicycle workshop and employ former

offenders there. RUFFBOARDS is their first corporation partner from the economy and can help to

guarantee six jobs for their clients and furthermore gives the possibility to create 50+ jobs over the next

five years.

Scale There are some excellent examples of national and European projects which were able to tackle the

employment, vocational training and labor market issues of ex- offenders, both - inside and outside of prisons.

However, these tend to be pilot projects providing isolated examples of good practice, and have rarely

resulted in changes to national economy.

To proof our concept, we are going to create 50+ jobs in our workshop in Vienna, together with partners and

supporters. Once this has been established, this model can be replicated in other EU-member states and we

aim to be present in up to ten locations across Europe by the end of 2017.

RUFFBOARDS aims to run a proof-of-concept workshop in Vienna with 50+ employees.

Workshop in the Box Together with our facilitator we developed the “Workshop in the Box” system:

- This consists of a customized easy handling milling machine (as well as other machines for other

products) that can be used without previous experience,

- And a manufacturing process combined with on-the-job training and re-integration consulting in

collaboration with established players in the space, maximizing long-term impact.


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The concept can, however, be easily adapted to include other target groups (people with migrant backgrounds,

the long-term unemployed etc.) as well as regions/countries. Initial contacts to other target groups and

organization supporting them are under way.

What needs tob e place to

achieve this bigger impact?

We make fantastic longboards from old snowboards discarded by ski-schools at the end of season, and we're

already having an impact on society, the environment and the local community by ensuring jobs at Verein

Neustart. This is likely to be even more so in the future, if we:

- include other target groups (young women with social problems, people with migrant backgrounds, the

long-term unemployed etc.),

- expand to other regions/countries,

- using the possibility to grow and expand with and through our supporters’ and incubators’ networks like

Impact HUB Vienna,,

- stay open and learn from experienced organizations from the field,

- develop the parts of our concept where we get amazing response from our customers like for example the

“Workshop in the Box”,

- stay creative and develop more gadgets from cut-out parts of snowboards like T-tools, belt buckles and

sunglasses.

To have an even bigger impact in the future, we intend to further improve our Workshop in the Box concept

already during the establishment phase: through beneficial-oriented needs optimization of work environment.

With our concept and products we help build a pluralistic and resilient social market economy. RUFFBOARDS

is based on values of solidarity and empowerment; we create opportunities and hope for the future.

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