Product & Growth · Platform Strategy · Hard · 35-45 min

Launching a Two-Sided Marketplace

Last updated 2026-07-29

What is this case about?

A company wants to launch a two-sided marketplace connecting service providers with customers in a fragmented industry. The classic problem looms: no buyers without sellers, no sellers without buyers. The board wants to know whether the model works, how to solve the cold-start, and what the path to liquidity and profitability looks like.

Where strong candidates start

  • Assess whether a marketplace is the right model — fragmentation, frequency, trust gaps it solves
  • Solve the cold-start — which side to subsidize/seed first, single-geography focus, supply or demand-led

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