The Problem with Business Incubation Is It Doesn’t Solve the Problem:
Business incubators abound. They are everywhere, and sometimes they make sense. Incubation provides mentoring, office space and are often affiliated with service vendors. Many sprinkle small amounts of money, typically around $25,000, to a select group of companies to get started. This help is temporary and intended to help first-time entrepreneurs who have never started, grown or sold a successful technology company. This model misses the vast majority of companies, lead by experienced executives who have already built a technology or business platform, initiated customer sales that prove market viability – and that are now focused on expansion using the US as a base for a global enterprise. Incubation doesn’t work in this context. What’s needed is business advice, business leads, and in some cases expansion capital and resources to fuel customer acquisition and global extension.
The Whiteboard Accelerator Solution:
Whiteboard Accelerator (Whiteboard) is a global business accelerator based in the Silicon Valley that provides a world-class network of senior entrepreneurial business development executives, innovation leaders and strategists that work directly with the management of Whiteboard companies to rapidly grow customers and revenues in the US. Our concept is very distinct from incubators or boot camps that work with concept companies and inexperienced management teams.
Whiteboard Accelerator primarily works with established or early stage non-US companies with disruptive high-growth potential by assisting these companies in establishing or scaling US presence and revenue opportunities in the US marketplace. With facilities in downtown San Jose and Redwood City, and in San Francisco in Spring 2010, Whiteboard hosts companies that have an established product or service platform to present to targeted US customers and channel partners. Whiteboard provides infrastructure, business development planning and execution, and a dedicated ecosystem of needed tier-one services vendors at discounted pricing to hosted companies over a typical engagement period of 12 – 18 months. We carefully select companies to work with those companies and management teams that we believe have the essential building blocks for success in the US market – consisting of core executive talent, stable and disruptive products, targeted dynamic and growing markets, and a drive for global success using the US market as a launchpad. We are not for everyone.
We have a structured and proven process that we employ to drive revenues and customer acquisition. First, we select companies ready to succeed, We then match the management of these companies with a hands-on team of business development professionals with direct experience in the industry in which the hosted company competes. Some of the more celebrated executives in the Silicon Valley are part of the Whiteboard network. This talent is only available to Whiteboard companies, and cannot be found in any other incubator, accelerator or network. The executives that have made the Silicon Valley and technology what it is today, have joined the Whiteboard network to see the best undiscovered technologies and technologists outside of the US. Whiteboard’s mission is to propel disruptive technologies and companies to the next growth plateau.
In addition to hosting companies in the Silicon Valley, in 2011 Whiteboard will establish operations in New Jersey (for access to the metropolitan New York area) and in the Pacific Northwest to support companies with market opportunities geographically based in those regions. Whiteboard is also establishing a global business network of business facilitators and support professionals outside of the US to assist companies in key global markets outside of their home countries.
In its essence, Whiteboard Accelerator maps the territory and digs into the details to really understand a company’s’ product/services and markets – chart a structured and sequenced plan for market expansion – and execute on that plan. We measure our own performance by the success of our hosted companies and management teams – and for that reason we have structured our compensation so that is largely based on the results we generate for our hosted companies. In this way, our interests and goals are directly aligned with the companies we work with.
Whiteboard Accelerator – Differentiation
We are Not An Incubator or Office Rental Firm….
- We work with established companies…with developed technology and early-stage customer adoption in high-growth markets
- We focus on business development for customer and revenue growth
- We work with companies long term to assure successful execution
- We are mostly paid on our success….we take the same risk as our companies
- We provide discount tier-one vendor support, infrastructure and access to the technology communities most prominent innovators and leaders
Strategic Business Group – Business Development Track
- Upfront “Quick-Start” market assessment to gauge target customers and pricing
- Develop comprehensive 12-18 month market penetration plan consisting of (i) helping management refine products and pricing for the US market; (ii) positioning products, services and solutions for maximum client acceptance; (iii) establishing channel and direct sales strategies and processes for maximum market penetration; and (iv) leveraging off strategic partnering arrangments to maximize product development and marketing opportunities.
- “Sanity Assessment” by Whiteboard Industry Advisor Network
- Whiteboard Team Leader assigned to execute on plan
Strategic Business Group – Company Building Track
- Top-down assessment and recommendations on US based team, Board, advisors and capital requirements
- Introductions to U.S. team members, investors…and plan for integration
- Staging of infrastructure growth to revenue base
- Mentoring, advice and involvement at Company’s request
Paid on Performance and Results
- A significant portion of our compensation for business development acceleration is paid on a revenue share on increased sales
- The bulk of fees for our finance and M&A services are success based
- Much of our compensation is stock in our client Companies – to align our interests with our Companies
Whiteboard Finance and M&A Group
Our Finance and M&A Group is managed by Mark Cameron White with advice and assistance from Bill Glazier (Redwood Venture Partners) and Ian Sobieski (Managing Director of the Band of Angels).
We partner and work with DA Davidson for larger private equity financing and M&A projects.
The principals in our Finance and M&A Group have advised on over 200 transactions
We are hands-on and more involvement with companies than traditional investment banks
Whiteboard Facilities –and Innovative Pricing
Office space is available in our building in Redwood City in the heart of the Silicon Valley.
Offices are provided on a full-time basis, or a part-time basis as needed for visiting executives based outside of the U.S.
Companies have privileges to use offices, shared desks and conference rooms at no extra charge.
Whiteboard Team – How to Contact Us….
Strategic Business Group Financing and M&A Group
Philippe Lamy, Managing Director
Tel:
Email:
Mark Cameron White, Managing Director
Tel:
Email:
