Vision & Positioning¶
Product Vision¶
CostEngine (MfgIQ) aims to become the trusted costing intelligence layer for manufacturing SMEs worldwide.
Strategic Positioning¶
"Explainable costing from your existing Excel logic — quote-ready in minutes."
What We Are¶
Yes A costing acceleration platform that preserves your logic while eliminating repetitive work
Yes An explainability engine that makes every assumption transparent and defensible
Yes A margin intelligence system that helps you win more profitable work
What We Are NOT¶
No Not a full ERP system
No Not a CAD-based cost calculator
No Not an automated pricing engine
No Not accounting/GST compliance software
Market Position¶
quadrantChart
title Costing Solutions Landscape
x-axis Low Complexity --> High Complexity
y-axis Low Explainability --> High Explainability
quadrant-1 Enterprise CAD Tools
quadrant-2 "CostEngine (MfgIQ)"
quadrant-3 Basic Spreadsheets
quadrant-4 Job Shop Platforms
aPriori: [0.85, 0.55]
FACTON: [0.80, 0.60]
Paperless Parts: [0.65, 0.45]
CostEngine: [0.55, 0.90]
Excel Templates: [0.30, 0.20]Why Now?¶
Market Shifts¶
- Digital transformation in MSMEs - COVID accelerated tech adoption
- Margin pressure - Customers demanding faster quotes with better pricing
- Talent shortage - Tribal knowledge needs to be preserved
- Compliance requirements - Need audit trails for ISO/quality certifications
Technology Enablers¶
- Cloud infrastructure makes SaaS affordable
- Modern web apps rival desktop software UX
- AI/ML can assist (but human expertise still critical)
Go-to-Market Strategy¶
Phase 1: Early Adopters (Months 1-6)¶
- 10-20 pilot customers
- Metal fabrication & machining focus
- Direct sales + implementation support
Phase 2: Product-Market Fit (Months 7-12)¶
- 50-100 paying customers
- Self-service onboarding
- Industry templates (plastics, assembly)
Phase 3: Scale (Year 2+)¶
- 500+ customers
- Partner ecosystem (ERPs, Tally)
- API integrations
Success Metrics¶
| Metric | Target | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Costing time reduction | 60-70% | Core value prop |
| Quote win rate improvement | +10-15% | Better margins |
| Estimator variance reduction | <5% | Consistency |
| Time to first quote | <7 days | Onboarding speed |
| Customer NPS | 50+ | Retention indicator |