Before you pick up the phone to gather industry opinions as you assess a technology’s commercial value, do some homework to identify the right experts to call. Who are they? Target those who are most likely to influence or have a viable interest in adopting the technology. How do you find them? Consider the value chain.
In doing hundreds of assessments for our clients, Fuentek has found the value chain to be an essential tool to identify target markets and prospective licensees. Basically, the value chain is a string of companies or collaborating players that satisfy market demands for specific products or services. It maps the categories of players within a segment of an industry, providing context about the supplier-customer relationships. It not only outlines the primary players in an industry but also helps you think through how the technology will deliver added value to this industry. In other words, a well-constructed value chain gives you an understanding of the industry and how the technology can fit into the market.
The value chain is such an important part of the homework necessary to accomplish effective tech transfer marketing, that Fuentek has released a free webcast about it. In less than five minutes, you’ll learn:
- Why it is important to consider the value chain before contacting industry experts and how this dovetails with marketing
- How to use the value chain to understand the IP landscape in a technology area and identify potential licensees
- The various levels within a value chain that will help you identify target markets
- The questions a properly constructed value chain will answer
All you need to do to access the free webcast is register. (Don’t worry, we don’t share your information with anyone.) This webcast is excerpted from our “Stop Reacting, Start Proacting” webinar on planning for strategic technology marketing. The webinar provides many more details about Fuentek’s proven process for crafting the value chain as part of a broader market-based assessment. Check out this blog post about the webinar, which is available on video. (And if you’re wondering about the what and why of assessments, check out this post/webcast.)
Questions? Comments? Always feel free to add your thoughts below or to contact us privately.
