Commercialization Consulting
Every week, the OPI team is contacted by entrepreneurs hoping to commercialize their idea or widget.
There is a huge chasm between a prototype on an optical bench and a real product. The first step in commercializing an idea is putting together a business model. A business model canvas is a great tool to describe, design, challenge, invent, and pivot your business model. Entrepreneurs need to move beyond their understanding of technology and grasp concepts like gross margin, bill of materials, supply chain management, marketing, distribution, sales, regulatory requirements, and profitability.
Our recommendation is to never start a company until you have validated the need and have customers willing to buy the product – we subscribe to the lean start-up methodology.
We offer entrepreneurial mentoring to coach individuals and teams looking to start a company. We have brought millions of dollars of photonics-based products to market and understand what it takes to bring a product to market.
Our mentoring arrangements are conducted on a case by case basis only if win-win opportunities exist. Sometimes we work for pay, sometimes we work for equity, and sometimes all we ask for is a round of beers. Give us a call and tell us how you want to change the world.
