Over the past few years, several thousand companies announced product-stage testing of new or emerging technology solutions. However, only a small portion of these companies successfully launched sustainable products based on those innovations. For standalone technology companies, the funnel was particularly narrow, with less than 6% bringing fully developed products to market, and even fewer of those on a trajectory towards profitability and growth.
Dean & Company's technology development practice specializes in working with technology companies to maximize the odds of commercial success in this challenging environment. Our central focus is developing detailed economic models that link a bottom-up, detailed assessment of the business with a top-level view of strategic options. We work closely with our clients to assemble a full view of the key building blocks of new technology offers (customer preferences and elasticity, cost projections, competitor economics, etc.) and to build a holistic business plan that minimizes risk and maximizes return. This approach in turn becomes a foundation for the critical organizational activities required in launching a new business (strategy development, fundraising, pricing, customer profitability and segmentation, budgeting, etc.).
We have worked with clients introducing new products or entering new markets across a broad range of industries and situations:
- We have helped a wireless ISP develop a pricing strategy and validate their fundamental business model in order to secure further financing.
- We have developed the business plan and investment justification for an established telecommunications company looking to maximize the profitability of IP-based telephony technology.
- We have assisted a European power tool manufacturer seeking to introduce a radically new home construction product to the U.S. market
For our clients, the key distinction between our approach and traditional management consulting has been the critical linkage between high-level strategic options and the granular economics that support them.
The following case studies provide more detailed examples of our approach and results in working with companies bringing new technologies and products to market.
