180 Degrees Consulting | Recruitment Task 2026 Problem State...

Prompt

180 Degrees Consulting | Recruitment Task 2026 Problem Statement Industry Overview The global longevity supplements industry was valued at roughly USD 9.9 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach USD 16.7 billion by 2033, growing at a 7.7% CAGR. Products are formulated specifically around healthy-ageing and biohacking based on cellular-health science to boost healthspan not just lifespan. The most common products witnessed in this industry are NMN, Trans-Resveratrol, Ca-AKG, and Spermidine. Consumers are increasingly moving past basic multivitamins toward targeted, science-backed protocols, trend especially witnessed in the metro cities. The NAD+/NMN sub-segment alone is growing even faster. Industry tracker NBJ recorded the global healthy-ageing supplement category crossing USD 620.5 million in 2025, growing at a CAGR of 18.4% to USD 2.84 billion by 2034. India remains an early-stage market within this category. China dominates global NMN production (84% share), and Japan already has an estimated 7.2 million regular NMN consumers following functional-food approval. Domestically, longevity supplements are sold almost entirely D2C: brand websites, quick commerce, and marketplaces such as Amazon, Flipkart, and specialised platforms like HealthKart, 1mg, and PharmEasy. However, a large untapped share of demand still sits with institutional and professional distribution channels. These may include doctors, wellness clinics, gyms, employee wellness programs, diagnostic chains etc. This channel, commonly referred to as B2B, remains fragmented in India and is largely served by generic wholesalers rather than science-first, branded players. Case Context Decode Age, founded in Bengaluru in 2021, is India's first longevity-focused health company, built around two pillars: a gut microbiome and biological-age testing platform, and a portfolio of clinically-referenced longevity supplements. It is the segment leader in NMN and Trans-Resveratrol and have been ranking well in SEO results as well until recently. The company gained early traction through Shark Tank India Season 3 and has since built a loyal D2C customer base across its own website, Amazon, Flipkart, Tata Cliq, HealthKart, 1mg, and PharmEasy. Its D2C pricing sits at a premium to mass-market multivitamin brands, reflecting its positioning around clinically-referenced, third-party-tested ingredients. Decode Age now wants to enter into the B2B segment but is confused about which channel to enter first especially with the smaller team that is currently working in the company. Till now the founders have had no coherent go-to-market plan, they have simply said yes to whichever conversations came knocking. They have asked 180DC for a structured B2B expansion strategy: which direction Decode Age should actually pursue, in what order, and how; without diluting the D2C brand's premium, science-first positioning or exposing the company to avoidable regulatory or commercial risk. Case Question Conduct a comprehensive B2B Expansion Strategy Assessment for Decode Age and develop a strategic framework addressing the following critical parameters (not limited to): 1. Opportunity Assessment a. Market Sizing & Segmentation Analysis: Size the addressable B2B opportunity across potential buyer segments: longevity/wellness clinics and individual doctors, gyms and fitness studios, corporate wellness programs, hospitals and diagnostic labs, pharmacy/wholesale distributors, and research or academic collaborations or any other channel that you think is suitable. b. Entry & Channel Strategy Framework: Determine the optimal approach to reach these buyers, and how should they perform outbound outreach. c. Competitive Analysis & Differentiation: Assess the competitive landscape, including but not limiting to other D2C-first brands, sports-nutrition retailers, and general nutraceuticals. Identify what a science-first, testing-linked brand like Decode Age can uniquely offer that another player in a similar space cannot offer and where they may suffer a disadvantage. d. Buyer Personas & Positioning: Develop distinct value propositions for the segments you choose to prioritise, and briefly justify any segment you choose not to pursue for now. e. Risks & Challenges: Assess hurdles such as regulatory constraints on health-product marketing and endorsement involving medical professionals, price cannibalisation against the existing D2C price ladder, long enterprise sales cycles. Suggest mitigation strategies for the risks you mention. 2. Go-To-Market Strategy a. Segment Prioritisation: Which B2B segment(s) should Decode Age pursue first, which should be deliberately deprioritised or avoided for now, and in what sequence should the rest be approached? b. Portfolio & Packaging Strategy: Identify which existing SKUs and tests are B2B-ready as-is, and what new formats are needed for example bulk quantity ordering, white-labelling etc. c. Outreach Strategy: Explain how you would approach the proposed B2B segment(s), whether you would deal in RFPs, use a B2B service portal for placing order requests, or handle each client with a business development team. 3. Conclusion Summarise your proposed B2B expansion strategy for Decode Age and explain how it will allow the company to build a meaningful institutional revenue stream alongside its core D2C business. Include an outline of financial projections and investment requirements (if any) such as a dedicated B2B team, along with expected revenue milestones and break-even timelines. Conclude by identifying the key success factors (KPIs): B2B revenue as a share of total revenue, number of active partners by segment, reorder and retention rate, and average deal size, that will make the strategy both viable and scalable. Evaluation Criteria Your solution will be evaluated based on: ● Quality of Research: Depth of analysis and relevance of assumptions. ● Clarity and Structure: How clearly and logically your solution is presented. ● Feasibility of Strategy: Realism and practicality of the proposed strategies. ● Creativity and Innovation: Unique insights or approaches. (Bonus points) ● Data-Driven Approach: Use of KPIs and measurable metrics to support your strategy. General Guidelines ● Your answer should fit within 2 pages (Times New Roman, Font 12). ● Infographic materials such as graphs, tables, or charts are encouraged to support your analysis. ● Explicitly mention and justify any assumptions or sources you reference. Tips ● You may make assumptions to simplify your solution at any step. Make sure to state those assumptions clearly and explicitly. ● It is a good idea to keep your analysis quantitative and objective rather than based on personal opinions. ● Use resources on the Internet to understand the relevant markets better and feel free to cite data points to support your solutions (do include the sources for any data points you include in the deck or the assumption, data without source is inadmissible). ● The choices that you make, and their justifications should be based on research and sound logic. Mention them in your submission clearly to help us understand your thought process. ● Please note that for this case the approach will matter a lot more than the final solution.