Collaborating Across Business Cultures How To Get The Most From Your Professional Services...
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Collaborating across Cultures Collaborating Across (Business) Cultures
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How to get the best out of your product development consultants - software electronics, industrial design, venture capital, patent attorneys and contract manufacturers
Transcript of Collaborating Across Business Cultures How To Get The Most From Your Professional Services...
Collaborating across Cultures
Collaborating Across (Business) Cultures
As the old joke goes….As the old joke goes….
The IP to Market Development Cycle
The IP to Market Development Cycle
Initial Idea / Research Findings
Proof of Concept / Prototype
Product Development
Commercial Release
Industry Need
Where most CRCS tend to operate
Profit
Where most productisation companies tend to operate
Basic and applied R&D that can attract early
investors can often be a long way from a
market ready product…
Initial Idea / Research Findings
Proof of Concept / Prototype
Product Development
Commercial Release
Industry Need
Basic and applied R&D that can attract early
investors can often be a long way from a
market ready product
To move your IP from ‘nice idea’ to ‘gotta
have product’ you’ll need to collaborate with a
number of different but value-adding
professional services cultures …
Initial Idea / Research Findings
Proof of Concept / Prototype
Product Development
Commercial Release
Industry Need
So who are these Professional Services consultants?
• Electronics and Software Designers;
• Industrial Designers;
• IP Lawyers;
• Investors;
• Contract Manufacturers.
Initial Idea / Research Findings
Proof of Concept / Prototype
Product Development
Commercial Release
Industry Need
No
They help turnThis into this
Electronics and Software Designers
How They Can Add Value
Design to relevant international standards:
How They Can Add Value
Design to relevant industry standards:
Design for Manufacture:
Quality manufacturing data packs are essential:• Gerber Files;• Pick & Place;• Bill Of Materials;• Test & Verification
points;
How They Can Add Value
Bill of Materials:(Asian) Manufacturers will look for expertise and previous manufacturing experience from the design team
Without this they will almost certainly try to take advantage of you
An actual example:X 15,000 pieces a month
= $53k a month in profit just given away
How They Can Add Value
Electronic and Software Design Consultants
How best to collaborate:
Choose your partner using a pilot project evaluation or similar rather than from an RFP process
Electronic and Software Design Consultants
How best to collaborate:
Make sure that the external R&D partner is a product or software engineering specialist rather than an IT generalist
Electronic and Software Design Consultants
How best to collaborate:
Focus on the external team’s cohesiveness and ability to deliver, and to be able to grow with your needs – rather than choosing a group of guys who know technology but who don’t operate as a team
Electronic and Software Design Consultants
How best to collaborate:
Treat the relationship as a partnership rather than as a typical services provider relationship
Electronic and Software Design Consultants
How best to collaborate:
Plan for the project management lead to shift from internal to external over time
Electronic and Software Design Consultants
How best to collaborate:
Ensure that the joint team follows some robust design & development processes
Electronic and Software Design Consultants
How best to collaborate:
Weekly project meetings and regular review meetings are essential
Intellectual Property Lawyers
Intellectual Property Lawyers
What do IP Lawyers do?
• Get enough information for a skilled person reading the patent application to build the invention (given a few months’ work in the lab);
• Work out what is essential to the invention and what is not and put all the essential features into independent claims;
Intellectual Property Lawyers
• See how to “stretch” the language in the claims – to define a monopoly broad enough to stop infringers;
• Prior Art Search – what’s already out there that might stop you;
• File the Patent.
Intellectual Property Lawyers
How best to collaborate:
• Be aware of your commercial objectives and business goals and relate them to your Attorney as clear and complete as possible – be up front
• Invite your Attorney to understand more about your business (because they will want to)
Intellectual Property Lawyers
How best to collaborate:
• Understand the process (of IP Protection) and if you don’t - ask about it before incurring too many costs
• Advise your Attorney of competitors and opportunities
Intellectual Property Lawyers
How best to collaborate:
• Be realistic with your expectations – the IP process can bring up problems that may change the course of your actions
Intellectual Property Lawyers
Venture Capitalist
or Other Investors
What does Starfish Ventures look for?• Outstanding management team
• Superior and innovative technologies with a strong intellectual property position
• Technology addressing a clearly defined market opportunity
What does Starfish Ventures look for?• Capable of becoming a significant future
market player and creating barriers to entry
• Ability to build a unique and sustainable business model
• A logical exit mechanism within 2-5 years
2001 2012
“Idea” to TGA approved product
Concept validated in clinical trials
Defined business opportunity and expanded business from low back pain market to include Sports and OH & S
Contract Manufacturers
What do Contract Manufacturers Do?
• Bring the design together to make a "working" product
• Source the components and validate their performance
Contract Manufacturers
How best to collaborate?
• Let them provide a "presentable" face so that small companies can engage with larger customers
• Providing a network of companies with expertise
Contract Manufacturers
