We provide marketing, strategy, business development, M&A, and financial expertise to entrepreneurs and CEOs of emerging growth companies, either on a project basis or as an interim management team member.
Since 1989, we have successfully completed over 300 assignments with more than 200 private and public high technology companies. In so doing, we have developed deep expertise in the following areas:
Fundraising and New Business Creation
Validate the market for new products through interviews with prospective customers, channel partners, or industry experts
Develop effective market entry strategies
Author business plans for start-ups or corporate spin-outs
Create compelling corporate fundraising presentations for venture capital and institutional investors
Arrange financing through introductions to top tier venture capitalists and angel investors
Coach CEO’s on successful fundraising techniques
Develop detailed five-year financial plans based on reasoned assumptions
Marketing
Market research and validation to create focused, effective go-to-market strategies
Position products for success based on a detailed competitive analysis
Price products to maximize revenues and market share
Design and build a web site from the ground up, including copywriting
Author white papers, product briefs, and data sheets
Define the features and functionality required for new or next generation products
Create new channels of distribution through VARs, resellers, and systems integrators
Provide interim marketing management
Strategy
Develop growth strategies to increase revenues and profits by leveraging the assets of the core business
Develop new business strategies to support corporate turnarounds and re-starts
Recommend whether to acquire, invest in, or divest product lines or businesses
Facilitate management off-site strategy planning meetings using a proven methodology and strategy framework
Business Development / Mergers & Acquisitions
Provide investment banking services: mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and management buyouts
Negotiate a transaction's price, forms of consideration, and payment terms.
Conduct detailed due diligence
Facilitate corporate spin-offs and spin-outs
Negotiate technology licensing agreements
Structure and conclude effective corporate alliances
Provide interim business development management
Interim Management
Take interim management positions in business development, marketing, and finance.
Past assignments include interim VP, Marketing; VP, Business Development; VP, Finance; or CEO
Our work is custom, designed to meet each client's specific needs. At the start of each project, we work closely with management to define the objectives, work plan, deliverables, schedule, and fees.
Examples of Our Work Market Research and Validation
Conducted market validation or assessment studies for XSoft (document automation software), Verity(enterprise search software), Talarian (real-time software development tools), TGV/Cisco (Ethernet communication software), Quantum (disk drives), MITEM (EAI software), Apple Computer (client/server software tools), PACE Anti-Piracy (security software), Decisive Technology (real-time customer service software), Metricom (wireless networks), SynOptics Communications (communication hubs), Intiva (task management software), SQL Software (version and source control software), eCOMM Systems (B2B exchange software), Kubota (desktop publishing software), COM21 (home PBXs), Sun Microsystems (fileservers), Amdahl (CASE software), Sawcom (wireless PBX equipment), Toolwire (SFA software), Ampex (digital encoding software), DigiGroups (collaboration software), Hewlett-Packard (cloud servers), ExactBid (real estate appraisal SaaS software), and Skytide (XML business intelligence software).
Marketing
Interviewed enterprise data warehouse customers in the retail, financial services, and telecom industries to author and publish success customer stories for Informix Software.
Developed new software product pricing schemes for Neuron Data, State of the Art, and Vertex Design Systems.
As product manager, defined, positioned, and priced an information portal software product for Verity.
Designed and wrote product data sheets, white papers, customer profiles, and the copy for a new web site for RivalWatch.
Authored product briefs, technical white papers, and data sheets for many companies, including dotFX and Skytide.
Author Business Plans and Fundraising Presentations
Authored business plans and fundraising presentations for the CEO’s of companies such as Astute Networks (communications semiconductors), ebrary (digital books), Pathscale (64-bit cluster compilers), Solid State Networks (Internet content distribution software), NewsTin (global news site), Intiva Software (task management), MobileWise (semiconductors for wireless power), Be (PC operating systems), Morphics Technology (wireless processors), Rosum (indoor global positioning), Secugen (biometrics), Fujitsu Software (document management software), Odesta Systems (document management software), Kinetisis (semiconductor manufacturing equipment), Citizen1 Software (Internet search software), Raster Graphics (CAD plotters), LiveWorks (document conferencing), Power Spectra (power semiconductors), HTR (software education centers), Digital Medical Systems (medical outcome management software), ICON Medical Systems (teleradiology systems), ToolSource (e-commerce software), and InterFax (fax application software) to raise venture capital.
For the CEO and Chairman of SRI International, conducted a thorough market assessment of business opportunities for speech recognition technology in the telecommunications industry. This work led to a decision to spin out Nuance Communications, which subsequently went public.
Develop Market Entry Strategies
Developed effective market entry strategies for start-up companies such as ebrary (electronics books), CI Technologies (process control software), ReportSmith (visual report writer), Invisible Worlds (text retrieval software), Vertex Design Systems (AutoCAD application software), MobileWise (power management), Digital Tools (scheduling software), Answer Computer (CRM software), and Verity (portal software) based on customer interviews and market research.
Interim Management
Accepted interim operating positions at Informix (data warehouse software, marketing), NewsTin (Web 2.0 news and information site, CFO), RivalWatch (SaaS online competitive information services, VP Marketing), State of the Art (financial application software, business development), InterFax (fax application software, marketing), Symantec (Java programming language tools, business development), Verity (text retrieval software, marketing), Berkeley Design Systems (analog RFIC noise analysis software, marketing), StructuredRisk (risk management software, President), dotFX (Java security software, VP Marketing), Auspex Systems (enterprise storage, marketing) and Intacct (SaaS accounting software, marketing).
Corporate Strategy
Developed new business strategies based on interviews with prospective customers for the CEO’s of Neuron Data/Blaze Software (software development tools), Toolwire (SFA software), Digigroups (collaboration software), Ampex (video encoding), vJungle (web services), Auspex Systems (storage systems), Penware (wireless applications), Concero and NeTopBox (cable set-top box software), Insightful (statistical and data mining software tools), Quantum (disk drives), Kubota (desktop publishing software), 3D Systems (laser prototyping systems); and Xerox LiveWorks (document conferencing).
Developed a revenue growth strategy for Cupertino Electric, a $270 million privately-held electrical contracting services company in San Jose.
Developed middle market growth strategies for the founders or CEO’s of State of the Art, Great Plains Software, Intaact, Bridgestream, and Intuit.
Developed a marketing strategy for IBM to grow their object-oriented component software business.
Led off-site planning meetings for senior management at Sunflower Systems.
Business Development
Developed a national VAR channel for Intacct, an on-demand accounting and financial management application software company.
Created systems integrator distribution channels for CI Technology, an Australian process control software company; Answer Computer, a help-desk support software company; and Digital Tools, a provider of resource management and scheduling software.
Developed strategic partnerships and OEM licensing arrangements for Symantec (Internet Tools Divison); Data Management Technologies (business intelligence software); Enterprise Computer Services (system integrator); and AG Associates (semiconductor equipment).
Mergers & Acquisition Advisory Services
Facilitated a company sale, acquisition, merger, or recapitalization for the CEO’s of SDL (optical semiconductors), State of the Art (financial application software), Ventura Software (desktop publishing software), Data Management Technologies (data warehouse software), Enterprise Computer Services Ltd. (systems integrator), ICON Medical Systems (teleradiology systems), Cybelius Software (3D web site design tools), and A3 Solutions (business intelligence software).
Orchestrated the $40 million recapitalization of SDL, a leading manufacturer of high power laser semiconductors. In March 2000, JDS Uniphase acquired SDL for $41 billion, which was (and may still be) the largest technology acquisition in Silicon Valley history.
Due Diligence
Consulted to venture capital firms such as Matrix Partners, Bank of America Securities, Aspen Ventures, Trinity Ventures, Rand Edgar Capital, Ventures West, and Newtek Ventures.
Conducted due diligence to support venture capital investments in privately-held companies that included Clarify (enterprise software), SalesLogix (middle market SFA software), and Alantec (communications equipment).
Developed M&A integration plans for Sage Software, Enterprise Computer Services, and Symyx.