This document discusses managing an innovation pipeline. It recommends validating business model hypotheses through customer interactions before advancing ideas. Promising concepts then prepare investment pitches with decks outlining problems, solutions, customers, marketing, sales, competition and milestones. The Northeast Indiana Innovation Center offers corporate incubation to help establish private incubation programs and grow through new products and business units.

1. MANAGING YOUR
INNOVATION PIPELINE
http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlchapman/1392728191/
Steve Franks, Northeast Indiana Innovation Center
1

2. Coming up with ideas
for new products, services,
or entire new business units
ISN’T the problem.
Finding the one
that’s a game changer
IS!
Managing Your Innovation Pipeline,
Northeast Indiana Innovation Center
All rights reserved 2 http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-1393836032

3. 1. Lean Startup 2. Pitching and Planning
Business Model Validation Prepare for Investment
What are your hypotheses? Make the business case
Do customers and stakeholders agree with you? Be your own angel investor.
Do they care? Be prepared to pitch investors.
Day Month Year
No.
Who are our Key Partners?
Who are our key suppliers?
Which Key Resources are we acquiring from partners?
Which Key Activities do partners perform?
What Key Activities do our Value Propositions require?
Our Distribution Channels?
Customer Relationships?
Revenue streams?
What value do we deliver to the customer?
Which one of our customer’s problems are we helping to solve?
What bundles of products and services are we offering to each Customer Segment?
Which customer needs are we satisfying?
What type of relationship does each of our Customer
Segments expect us to establish and maintain with them?
Which ones have we established?
How are they integrated with the rest of our business model?
How costly are they?
For whom are we creating value?
Who are our most important customers?
High concept pitch
Elevator pitch
Presentation deck
What Key Resources do our Value Propositions require? Through which Channels do our Customer Segments
Our Distribution Channels? Customer Relationships? want to be reached?
Revenue Streams? How are we reaching them now?
How are our Channels integrated?
Which ones work best?
Which ones are most cost-efficient?
How are we integrating them with customer routines?
[and Business Plan]
What are the most important costs inherent in our business model? For what value are our customers really willing to pay?
Which Key Resources are most expensive? For what do they currently pay?
Which Key Activities are most expensive? How are they currently paying?
How would they prefer to pay?
How much does each Revenue Stream contribute to overall revenues?
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Naval Ravikant
Steve Blank co-founder Venture Hacks
Uses it in classes at Stanford
Alexander Osterwalder
Babak Nivi
Invented this Business Model Canvas
co-founder Venture Hacks
Managing Your Innovation Pipeline
Northeast Indiana Innovation Center
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4. The 9 Business Model Elements Day Month
No.
Year
Who are our Key Partners? What Key Activities do our Value Propositions require? What value do we deliver to the customer? What type of relationship does each of our Customer For whom are we creating value?
Who are our key suppliers? Our Distribution Channels? Which one of our customer’s problems are we helping to solve? Segments expect us to establish and maintain with them? Who are our most important customers?
Which Key Resources are we acquiring from partners? Customer Relationships? What bundles of products and services are we offering to each Customer Segment? Which ones have we established?
Which Key Activities do partners perform? Revenue streams? Which customer needs are we satisfying? How are they integrated with the rest of our business model?
How costly are they?
1. Who are your target market segments? What are their “big wants”?
Why will they scream with joy when they hear you are addressing
that particular issue?
What Key Resources do our Value Propositions require? Through which Channels do our Customer Segments
Our Distribution Channels? Customer Relationships? want to be reached?
Revenue Streams? How are we reaching them now?
How are our Channels integrated?
Which ones work best?
Which ones are most cost-efficient?
How are we integrating them with customer routines?
2. Separately, what is your value proposition (product offering). Do
they still scream when they hear what you are offering?
What are the most important costs inherent in our business model? For what value are our customers really willing to pay?
Which Key Resources are most expensive? For what do they currently pay?
Which Key Activities are most expensive? How are they currently paying?
3. What kinds of relationships will be necessary with your customers?
How would they prefer to pay?
How much does each Revenue Stream contribute to overall revenues?
One on one and personal, automatic and hands off self service, etc.?
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4. How will you reach them? How do they want to be reached? Your job: test each element!
5. Are any partners key to your success?
6. What activities do you have to excel at in order to be successful in
this industry? The 3 Answers
7. What resources (like things and people) do you have to have in
order to be successful in this industry? 1. What? Huh? That makes absolutely no sense at
all.
8. How will you structure your revenue streams? Do your customers
agree? 2. Well, yeah, that’s pretty close to what I see - but
have you ever thought about ....
9. What are your major cost drivers?
3. Oh My God! I can’t believe you are doing this!
Is it available? Can I have it now? Please?
Managing Your Innovation Pipeline
Northeast Indiana Innovation Center
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5. Presentation Deck High concept pitch
1.
2.
Cover. Logo, tagline, and contact information.
Summary. Key, compelling facts - from your elevator pitch.
Elevator pitch
3. Team. Past accomplishments. Include directors or advisors who bring
something special.
Presentation deck
4. Problem. Customer segment and their big want.
5. Solution. Your value proposition and offering, including a demo. “God
help you if you have nothing to show.”
[and Business Plan]
6. Technology. If appropriate.
If you can prepare these 3 things, you can
7. Marketing. Who are the customers, and how many of them are
there? How are you going to reach prospects and acquire prepare a business plan or executive
customers? What traction do you already have summary. It’s the same information, just
8. Sales. Your business model. The micro view of a sale - what do you written differently!
make in a typical transaction? What do you know that isn’t pure
speculation about how you might grow a customer base?
9. Competition. Why will customers use your product instead of the
competition’s? How do you know? How will you defend against
High Concept Pitch
competitors’ actions?
A few words, Hollywood- style. “Snakes on a
10. Milestones. By quarter for the next 4 quarters. For your product, Plane”, “Flickr for Video”, “The Jefferson Pointe for
team, marketing, sales, and gross burn (your expenses, assuming zero Entrepreneurs”
revenue).
11. Conclusion. The vision of what the company could accomplish.
12. Financing. Previous funding, amount being raised in this round and
Elevator Pitch
how it will be used, equity deal offered (if appropriate). 4 elements: product and target customer, big want,
traction, team’s credentials.
Managing Your Innovation Pipeline
Northeast Indiana Innovation Center
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6. For ideas that
have merit, send
the champions
off to validate a
business model.
For concepts that http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlchapman/1392728191/
are validated,
http://www.fotopedia.com/items/
send a team off
to create and
make an
investment pitch.
Managing Your Innovation Pipeline
Northeast Indiana Innovation Center
All rights reserved 6

7. Next Steps:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/good-karma/
Grow With: NIIC Corporate Incubation
We guide you as you establish and operate your own on-site, private
incubation program and grow by adding game-changing new products,
services, or business units.
• Weekly half-day meetings with your team.
• 6-month or 12-month engagements.
• Availability is limited to a maximum of 4 engagements at any time.
Managing Your Innovation Pipeline
Northeast Indiana Innovation Center
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8. http://venturehacks.com
http://steveblank.com/
http://niictools.com
http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/
http://alexosterwalder.com
Managing Your Innovation Pipeline
Northeast Indiana Innovation Center
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