Overview

marmate.io is a concept developed for a pitch challenge at the Ship Startup Festival. We are a team of two who came together to bring an idea to life, an idea that emerged through conversations with friends about the struggles faced by small businesses in Finland. Many of these businesses have limited visibility and tight budgets, making it difficult for them to advertise their services, events, and products effectively.

At the same time, we noticed that emerging marketers and micro to mid-level influencers often struggle to gain practical experience or secure real projects to showcase their skills.

With marmate.io, we aim to bridge this gap. Our platform is designed to connect these two groups—small businesses seeking affordable, creative advertising solutions and aspiring marketers looking for hands-on opportunities. By facilitating this collaboration, we hope to support growth on both sides and create a mutually beneficial ecosystem.

Problem

Small and medium businesses struggle to find affordable marketing expertise, while freelancers and influencers face difficulty in finding consistent work opportunities.

Solution

The freelance economy is booming, with an increasing number of businesses turning to freelancers for their marketing needs. Social media influencers are becoming vital in brand promotion. We're tapping into a market worth billions. “The global Freelance Platforms market size was valued at USD 3533.47 million in 2021 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 13.93% during the forecast period, reaching USD 7728.49 million by 2027.” (360 Research Reports, 2023)

We are developing a platform that seamlessly connects businesses with marketing specialists and influencers, facilitating collaboration and maximising ROI.

How it works

marmate.io acts as a bridge between small businesses in need of marketing support and skilled freelancers or social media influencers ready to offer their expertise.

Through our intuitive and user-friendly platform, businesses can explore a wide range of marketing services, from logo design and content creation to social media campaigns and digital advertising. They can either reach out directly to freelancers and influencers or post their project requirements and receive tailored proposals from interested professionals.

With built-in communication tools and project management features, marmate.io simplifies the entire collaboration process. This allows businesses to quickly find the right talent for their needs, while freelancers gain a platform to showcase their skills, grow their portfolio, and secure real-world projects.

Product designing process

As the sole designer on this project, I began by collaborating closely with my teammate on key research activities. Together, we conducted benchmarking, analysed market size, and explored existing solutions addressing similar problems. Based on our findings, we defined our target user groups and identified the core features for the application.

From there, I led the design process by creating the sitemap, user flows, early concept sketches, and branding elements to establish a clear visual and structural direction for the product.

On the business side, we discussed potential revenue models, focusing primarily on a commission-based approach while also exploring additional monetisation opportunities for the platform.

Visual conceptualisation design

We defined key features of the application including:

• Detailed Profiles: Create comprehensive profiles showcasing skills and experience.

• Project Matching and Bidding: Advanced algorithm matches businesses with the most suitable freelancers/influencers.

• Secure Payments: Secure payment system ensures fair compensation for all parties.

• Collaboration Tools: Integrated tools for seamless communication and project management. (chat + calendar-meeting booking)