Analyzing Business Models: Aquaponics, Gym/Fitness Center Startups

This assignment presents two distinct business ideas: aquaponics and starting a gym or fitness center. The aquaponics section discusses the concept of combining aquaculture and hydroponics for sustainable urban farming, highlighting its eco-friendliness and potential to address food shortages. The author finds the idea interesting due to its adaptability, ability to grow organic food, and water-saving capabilities, linking it to the growing awareness of environmental and social issues. The second part focuses on starting a gym or fitness center, providing a guide to launching a fitness business, including market analysis, business model selection, and the importance of wellness services. The author, a fitness enthusiast, is drawn to the industry and proposes a digital business model offering personalized exercise packs, online classes, and partnerships with gyms and nutritionists, aiming to provide a cost-effective, comprehensive wellness solution. Both sections offer valuable insights into business opportunities within sustainable practices and the rapidly growing wellness sector.

Week X
Topic A
Title:
A title/headline for your topic
Aquaponics. Sustainable urban farming
Link:
Link(s) to the source(s) for your
topic
https://www.foodunfolded.com/how-it-works/aquaponics-
sustainable-urban-farming
Summary/Precis:
In your own words
Aquaponics is a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics
that recirculates water in a closed-loop ecosystem. In other
words, it is hybridisation of fish farming with the soil-less
growing of plants through hydroponics. In it, waste water from
the fish provides organic fertiliser to the plants and the plants
clean fish waster from the water.
This article states that even though this technique has been
there for centuries. It was never utilised as a farming system. It
provides a sustainable and eco-friendly way to grow
vegetables. Food shortage in urban areas is a reality all around
the globe. Techniques like this can offer sustainable option to
ensure food security.
Modern aquaponics system can be set up anywhere. It includes
a network of pipes connecting a fish tank, a water pump and a
plant bed where vegetable can be planted in gravel as water is
pumped through it. Herbs like lettuce and basil can easily adapt
to grow in such system. Another advantage of the aquaponics
system is that one can take lot of flexibility in designing or
customising this system. For example, it can be adapted at
rooftops, basements or brownfield land, etc.
Why I found this interesting:
In your own words
Rapid urbanisation, aided with advancement of technologies is
turning more and more land in jungle of concrete. Ever
increasing population and decreasing availability of farm lands
has created a problem of food shortage. This issue is amongst
the most discussed issues among the intellectuals and global
social organisations such as UNO, UNICEF, FAO, etc. Issue of
global food shortage has always attracted me and I have always
wondered if we couldn't find any such technique that can
present simple yet effective solution to this problem.
I find idea of urban aquaponics farms very interesting for the so
many facts such as -
 It does not need any separate land and the system can
be set up anywhere right from roof top to basements.
 We can grow our own meal organically without using
any kind of chemical fertiliser and pesticides.
 This system allows us to go fossil fuel free. For
example, using solar energy to power pumps used in it.
 It allows us to save the resources which are already

scarce in nature such as freshwater. This system use
minimal water as it continually recycles the water
through pipe system and since it is closed-loop, water
evaporation is also very low.
How this links to the course:
In your own words
Environmental and social awareness are very high these days.
Researches, innovations and developments in green business
concepts are promoted by government and supported by
organisations, angel investors, etc.
I find developing a business model over urban aquaponics
farms both a commercially viable as well as environmentally
feasible. We can build stand-alone farms for this system or can
enter into contract with farmers or landlords who are
interested in our business model. We can also enter into
agreements with variety of commercial spaces like retail
grocery stores as well as big residential spaces to hire their
roofs and we can set up the aquaponics farms over there. We
can then have agreement to sell our produces to those grocery
stores as well farm-to-table restaurants. Newer technologies
such as sensors to monitor water temperature, pH level,
volume, etc. automatically can also be incorporated into the
system to make into more efficient.
(https://smepals.com/university-business-ideas)
Topic B
Title:
A title/headline for your topic
How to start a Gym or Fitness Center
Link:
Link(s) to the source(s) for your
topic
https://articles.bplans.com/how-to-start-a-gym/
Summary/Precis:
In your own words
This article is about a guide to start a fitness business start-up.
It inspires to introspect as to why we want to open a gym or
wellness center and what all segmentation of wellness services
we want to cover. Based on this knowledge, we decide our
business model, research on it, find a location, hire staff and
equipments needed and then launch our business. For
example, we can choose to open speciality fitness center or
traditional gym or medical fitness and wellness center, etc.
Why I found this interesting:
In your own words
This is a time when everyone is becoming aware about the
need and importance of maintaining our well-being. There are
various health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity
such as
(https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-
depth/exercise/art-20048389):
 Weight management – Exercise helps in prevent
excess weight gain and help us maintaining weight loss.
It improves muscle strength and boost endurance. It
also helps us sleep better.
 Healthy body – It helps in delivering oxygen and
nutrients to tissues and help our cardiovascular system

work more efficiently. This reduces the chances of
diseases such as stroke, high blood, arthritis, etc.
 Mood improvement – Physical activities stimulates
various brain chemicals that leaves us more relaxed
and less anxious. It helps in feeling good about our
appearance which boost confidence, improves self-
esteem and help us unwind in social settings.
Being a fitness enthusiast myself, this industry attracts me as a
business option as well. Most important areas of the business
in wellness industry are including fitness of mind/body and
and nutrition in our business plan. Through personalisation and
artificial intelligence, we can build a holistic fitness and
wellness-oriented brand of our business in the market.
How this links to the course:
In your own words
Wellness industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the
world (https://www.glofox.com/blog/14-health-and-fitness-
business-ideas/). With people eagerly joining the set up to
maintain their fitness level, I find it a feasible option to offer a
digital business model. This will not only be asset-light but also
revenue effective for digital business have far wider reach in so
less infrastructure.
I have an idea to target those people who do not like to go to
gym and prefer working out at their homes or in some park. I
propose to offer them personalised exercise pack according to
their needs and desires. They will get exercise demo through
animated videos and videos uploaded by our gym partners.
Yes, I also propose to enter into partnership with gyms and
wellness centre. We will inspire our clients to join their near by
wellness centre. We shall also partner with various nutritionists
and physiotherapists who can offer their services through our
application and for those who want their services in-person, we
can suggest them their near by experts and then they can visit
them.
Although this is not a revolutionary idea, but in the high
demand market, if we are able to market it well, it is a
commercially selling idea. Innovation in this idea is to offer all
types of services online. Bringing all types of experts of
wellness industry under one application will definitely hit with
people since it is a cost effective model for them as well.