Matternet–Swiss Post: Drone-based healthcare delivery (C)

By Professor Howard H. Yu Howard H. Yu and Marc Chauvet

Startup Matternet entered in 2017 the market of drone-based delivery of medical samples in Switzerland, via an investment from Swiss Post.

Following two consecutive incidents in 2019 during which the drones fell mid-air to the ground, Matternet was caught between its growth imperative and its investor’s increasing concern regarding its public image and the safety of the technology.

Regulatory evolutions in the USA and a partnership with logistics behemoth UPS allowed the company to shift most of its operations to the USA in 2019.

Learning Objective

Case C provides the class a closure of the case study. It provides participants an update about how the drone market continues to evolve despite any inevitable setback.

Keywords	Business Model, Disruptive Innovation, Drone, Investor Relations, Logistics Services, Medical Services, Service Delivery, Start-up, Strategy
Settings	Europe, Northern America, Switzerland, United States of America Matternet, Poste Suisse, Logistics and Supply Chain, Shipping, Transportation 2017-2020
Type	Field Research
Copyright	©IMD 2020

Order this case study

Reference: IMD-7-2159

IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre, UK Office

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Fax +44 (0)1234 751125
Email [email protected]

The Case Centre, US office

Babson College

Babson Park, Wellesley MA 02457, USA
Tel +1 781 239 5884
Fax +1 781 239 5885
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

Copyright information

IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.