A technology start-up company was seeking funders
for an innovative development in business analytics. They envisioned a product
that could expand the analytics capability for business enterprise
applications. In order to bring the product to market they needed to engage
with thought leaders, universities, and industry consortia to help validate
this new approach. During the funding process they had difficulty with
explaining the importance of this role to investors and gaining the financial
resources needed to develop those particular relationships.
They used a value network map to describe their
business model. They were able to demonstrate that the financial flows in the
business model were very strong as an ecosystem and that their role as a
technology provider placed them very strategically. Clearly they were central
to the technology flows between service partners, customers, and platform
providers. More importantly the relationships with industry consortia placed
them at a strategic advantage to implement IP discoveries in their area more
quickly than their competitors.
The value network model not only showed the business
model in terms of financial flows, but also demonstrated their marketplace
leadership strategy.
