This presentation is an overview designed to help startups create their value proposition. It was developed in partnership to Actifio, arguably the fastest growing storage startup ever. It is part of the Startup Secrets focus on Value Proposition development. For more information on this and other Startup Secrets focus areas, visit http://www.startupsecrets.com

1. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
Harvard innovation lab
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
START UP
SECRETS
An insider’s guide to unfair competitive advantage
Building a Compelling
Value Proposition
MICHAEL J SKOK
North Bridge Venture Partners
twitter: @mjskok mjskok.com
1

2. Developing Actifio’s
Value Proposition
The Story So Far…
Harvard iLab | October 17, 2013

3. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Welcome…
Follow online
www.mjskok.com
Ash Ashutosh,
Founder & CEO
@actifio
@mjskok
/mjskok
linkedin.com/in/mjskok
bit.ly/mjskok-google
Mike Troiano,
CMO
@miketrap
bit.ly/mjskok-youtube
3

4. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Agenda
Problem
Ideas
Solution
Define
Gain
Pain
Evaluate
Value
Prop
Build
4

5. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Value Proposition Template
• For (target customers)
• Who are dissatisfied with (the current
alternative)
• Our product is a (new product)
• That provides (key problem-solving
capability)
• Unlike (the product alternative)
5

6. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Where might you start?
Problem
Ideas
Solution
Define
Gain
Pain
Evaluate
Value
Prop
Build
6

7. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Ideas … free floating?
7

8. Two Models
Problem
Problem
✓
Technology
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
Technology
8

9. Phase I:
A hypothesis good enough to sell.
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
9

10. 2009
Strategy
Product
Customer
Engine
Priority
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
Flexible
Early stage
Early adopter
Individual heroism
Rapid cycle refinement
10

11. Unified Data Services

12. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Agenda - Problem
Problem
Ideas
Solution
Define
Gain
Pain
Evaluate
Value
Prop
Build
12

13. Harvard innovation lab :
Hi
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Problem
•
•
•
•
Unworkable
Unavoidable
Urgent
Underserved
Problems worth solving
are usually 4U …
13

14. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Unworkable
• Broken business process
• Consequences ?
If the consequences are costly or painful,
so much the better.
EG who gets fired if this doesn’t work?
14

15. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Unavoidable
• Accounting
• Regulation
Is the problem so fundamental
you can’t avoid it and just have to comply?
15

16. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Urgent
• Relative to other needs …
• Priority
– Determines resources allocated
If you’re not at the top of the list,
are you at least in the top 3?
If not will you get moved up or down over time and why?
16

17. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Underserved – business…
• You will compete in a zero-sum game
• Finite:
–
–
–
–
$
Time
People
Attention
17

18. Innovations in storage…
Data De-Duplication and Backup to Disk
(Smaller backup data footprint)
Thin Provisioning
(Improved Utilization)

Object Storage Device

Scale-Out Technologies

Open Storage: Off-the-shelf
hardware and software

SATA, SSD drives and Tiered
storage
Continuous Data Protection
(Flexible, Rapid Recovery)
Storage Services and Technologies
(Pay-Per-Use, Lower cost base)
ActiFio Proprietary & Confidential

19. …come packaged in a storage device
Backup sw
FE
File Mgr
Archive sw
FE
FE
Device
Proprietary
Protocol
File Mgr
Device
Proprietary
Protocol
File Mgr
Replicn
Replicn
Replicn
Protecn
DeDup
Pwr Mgt
FE
Thin Prov
File Mgr
BE
Drv Mgr
Replica
Vol Mgr
Vol Mgr
Local Store
Local Store
Local Store
Pwr Mgt
DeDup
Thin Prov
BE
Replicn
Replicn
Protecn

Drv Mgr
BE
Local Store
File Mgr
File Mgr
Replicn
Online
Vol Mgr
Drv Mgr
BE
FE
FE
Vol Mgr
Drv Mgr

Device
Proprietary
Protocol
Drv Mgr
Drv Mgr
B2D
BE
Local Store
Replica
Archive
BE
Local Store
Replica
Single function silos of autonomous Store-Keep-Forward units
Multiply duplicated functions, stores, interconnects
ActiFio Proprietary & Confidential

20. Result is a complex, multi-tier system
On Site
Remote Site
(Business Continuance and DR)
Array Mgr
SnapShot
Mgr
Online Storage
Backup
Mgr
Backup
S/W & Server
Replica
Mgr
Local
Snapshots
(Rapid
B2D Mgr
Tape Mgr
Recovery)
B2D Storage
B2D Replica
Secondary Storage
(Data Protection)


Remote Replica
Multiple silos, technologies, applications …held
together with process and expensive administration
Storage is the biggest barrier to new IT initiatives:
Virtual, Distributed computing, Consolidation
ActiFio Proprietary & Confidential

21. 4U Compliant
• Unworkable – No way to solve the problem with
conventional technology
• Unavoidable – Every enterprise with data to be
accessed and protected creates the problem
• Urgent – Consuming the majority of storage budgets in
an environment of constrained IT resources
• Underserved – Big players have a concrete dis-incentive
to tackle in a way that serves the customer

22. Harvard innovation lab :
Hi
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Underserved – consumers…
• Needs…
• Examples…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• Social
Social
Security
Physical
Economic
Recognition
Responsibility
Achievement
Growth
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Find
Connect
Communicate
Meet
Share
Entertain
Date
22

23. Harvard innovation lab :
Hi
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Qualify the problem
Is it “blac” & white?
•
•
•
•
Blatant
Latent
Aspirational
Critical
Blatant
Critical
Blatant
Latent
Aspirational
Critical
23

24. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
& white…
• Is it addressing a “white space” in the
market?
– an open area of opportunity
– which you can capture
– and defend
– uniquely
24

25. BLAC & White
• Geometric data growth, unmet RTO, unwieldiness of
Petabyte-scale “Big Data” all blatant & critical
• Needed to create connection to copy data as the “root
cause” of these problem
• Customers proved readily able to accept new concept
• White space in the market
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
25

26. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Problem - Summary
• Is it 4 U?
–
–
–
–
Unworkable
Unavoidable
Urgent
Underserved
• Is it blac and white?
26

27. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Ideas… can now be applied!
27

28. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Ideas – fit to problem…
Blatant
4U
Critical
28

29. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Agenda - Solution
Problem
Ideas
Solution
Define
Gain
Pain
Evaluate
Value
Prop
Build
29

30. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Solution
30

31. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Startup opportunity?
• Faster
• Cheaper
• Better
31

32. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Break something!
What is your compelling breakthrough?
3D
32

33. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Breakthrough opportunities…
3
D’s
• Discontinuous
innovation
• Defensible technology
• Disruptive business
model
33

34. Opportunity: Unified Data Services
Pri &
Secondary
Data
Private Cloud
1.
Replication
New Service
Index Creation
Virtualization
Online, Recovery, Archive,
Analysis, Custom
Retention
Standard Protocol
Optimization
Replication
Core Ctlr
New Service
ActiFio
Retention
Optimization
ActiFio
Edge Ctlr
Pri &
Secondary
Data
Public Cloud
Device-Independent Data Services in a scalable, extensible platform.


Edge Controller: Primary Storage and Caching Management

2.
Leverage existing Storage
Core Controller: Central repository and management of secondary data: retention,
replication, virtualization, analysis and custom
Single System to manage multi-tier data and analysis: Primary and Secondary.
ActiFio Proprietary & Confidential

35. 3D Approved
• Discontinuous Innovation – Needed to break with the
past, build new architecture around a set of simple rules
• Defensible Technology – Many problems to solve down
this new path. 22 patents in process and counting.
• Disruptive Business Model – Pricing based on how
much data was being protected, not on how that data
was being used. The more use cases, the better the ROI

36. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Startup Secret: Pick a BIG fight!
• It’s often as much work going after a small
fight…
• Big problems often = Big opportunities
At North Bridge we look for “Game Changers”
36

37. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Agenda - Evaluate
Problem
Ideas
Solution
Define
Gain
Pain
Evaluate
Value
Prop
Build
37

38. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Qualitative evaluation
Before
After
Acute Pain

Absolute Joy

38

39. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Qualitative evaluation
Before
After
Vitamin vs. Penicillin
Acute Pain

Absolute Joy

39

40. 2012
Strategy
Product
Customer
Engine
Priority
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
Stable
Maturing
Ultra-early majority
Heroism + Systems
Happy customers
40

41. The Storage Explosion
• Copy data a $44B problem
• Consumes 60% of disk capacity
• Drives 65% of storage software
spending, 85% of hardware
Analytics
Test & Dev
BC/DR
Snapshot
Backup
Production
*IDC Insight document (#239875)
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
41

42. The Root Cause
Production Data
SAN | NAS | DAS
BACKUP
SNAPSHOT
BC/DR
TEST & DEV
ARCHIVING
Physical IT
Virtual IT
DUPLICATION + INFRASTRUCTURE + OPERATIONS + COMPLEXITY + COST
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
42

43. A New Approach
1
2
Production Data
SAN | NAS | DAS
Full ingest once, unique
changes from there.
Store & move only
unique de-duped data.
4
3
Instantly access virtual
copies for any use.
Single pane,
app-centric,
SLA-driven.
COPY DATA
BACKUP
SNAPSHOT
BC/DR
TEST/DEV
ARCHIVING
DB
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
43

44. Before & After
Before
•
•
•
•
•
Geometric data growth
Backup as insurance
Multi-TB recovery in days
Fear of inevitable loss
Vendor Tyranny
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
After
•
•
•
•
•
Linear data growth
Backup as asset
Multi-TB recovery in mins
Confidence in recoverability
Freedom
44

45. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Quantitative Evaluation
• Introducing the gain/pain ratio
Gain
Pain
45

46. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
“Gain/Pain ratio”
• The gain delivered to the customer
vs.
• The pain and cost for the customer to adopt
Gain
Pain
46

47. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Gain
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Revenue
Cost savings
Time
People
Competitive advantage
Reputation
Etc..
Gain
Pain
47

48. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Pain
•
•
•
•
•
•
Gain
Find (See)
Try
Buy
Implement
Deploy
Own – e.g. TCO
Pain
48

49. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Inertia
•
•
•
•
•
Gain
Switching costs?
Default = do nothing
Alternatives?
Good enough =
good enough!
RISK on a startup
Inertia,
RISK
Pain
49

50. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
What’s the right ratio?
Gain
Inertia,
RISK
Pain
50

51. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
“Gain/Pain ratio”
• > 10 to overcome
– Inertia
– RISK
Pain
Inertia,
RISK
Gain
>10
51

52. Phase II:
A story the world will buy.
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
52

53. GAIN: Radical Business Impact
• Eliminate 100% of software licenses + hardware
– Backup Software, Array Snapshot, Replication, Test & Dev,
Archive
• Reduce required network bandwidth by up to 80%
– WAN Optimization, Production Data Replication Network
• Cut storage footprint GB by up to 95%
– Backup, Snapshot, Replication & Dedup Storage, Deep Archive
• Reduce average $ / GB by up to 50%
– Vendor lock-in, Standalone Virtual Backup
• + Hard $ value of recovering anything instantly
Up To 90% Reduction in Total Cost of Ownership
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
53

54. Minimizing PAIN: New Class of Storage
FC, iSCSI, NAS
FC, iSCSI, NAS
PRODUCTION
Real-Time
Point-in-Time
PRODUCTION DATA
Infrastructure Centric
Performance Optimized
Block, File Based
Consolidated, Commoditized
Disc > SSD / Flash
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
COPY DATA
Information Centric
Capacity Optimized
Object-Based, Virtualized
SLA-Driven, Strategic
Tape > Disk
54

55. A More Attractive Market
FC, iSCSI, NAS
FC, iSCSI, NAS
PRODUCTION
Real-Time
Point-in-Time
PRODUCTION DATA
COPY DATA
Consolidated, Commoditized
Top 5 critical business initiatives
Little innovation in 20 years
$10B
-12% CAGR
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
$44B
+23% CAGR
55

56. ActiFio TCO Difference ($/TB/Year)
$/TB/Yr
$/TB/Yr
Tradi onal
Ac Fio
% Change
Capacity Summary
Online Storage Capacity
Secondary Storage Capacity
10 TB
117 TB
10 TB
7 TB
0%
‐94%
127 TB
17 TB
‐86%
Cost Summary
Online Storage
Secondary Storage
Admin, Maint and Env.
Total TCO
$50,000
$12,249
$40,000
$30,000
$11,663
$23,894
$12,249
$3,072
$8,524
$2,237
$47,806
$13,833
‐74%
‐64%
‐82%
‐71%
$23,894
$20,000
$2,237
$10,000
$8,524
$3,072
$11,663
$0
CapEx
Tradi onal
$3,072
$3,072
$3,110
$3,110
$3,755
$2,500
$3,072
$0
$0
$0
$3,000
$0
0%
‐100%
‐100%
‐100%
‐20%
$16,119
Production Storage
Replicated Production Storage
B2D Storage
B2D Replicated Storage
Backup SW
Tape Library
$6,072
‐62%
OpEx
Replicate produc on data
Cloud Storage
Replicate backup data
Tape Media cost
Replication to Cloud
Storage Admin. Cost
Backup Admin. Cost
Tape Admin. Cost
Annual HW + SW Maint.
Env. Cost (power and cooling)
$8,591
$0
$6,136
$2,210
$0
$1,050
$1,050
$70
$9,496
$584
$29,186
Online Storage
Ac Fio
Secondary Storage
Admin, Maint and Env.
140 TB
120 TB
100 TB
$0
‐100%
80 TB
$621
100%
$0
‐100%
60 TB
$0
‐100%
40 TB
$4,903
100%
$525
‐50%
20 TB
$0
‐100%
0 TB
$0
‐100%
$1,567
‐84%
$145
‐75%
ActiFio Proprietary & Confidential
$7,761
‐73%
117 TB
7 TB
10 TB
Tradi onal
Online Storage Capacity
10 TB
Ac Fio
Secondary Storage Capacity

57. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Gain/Pain ratio
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Revenue
Cost savings
Time
People
Competitive advantage
Reputation
Etc..
•
•
•
•
•
•
Inertia
Switching costs?
Default = do nothing
Alternatives?
Good enough =
good enough!
RISK on a startup
•
•
•
•
•
•
Find (See)
Try
Buy
Implement
Deploy
Own – e.g. TCO
Pain
Inertia,
RISK
Gain
>10
57

58. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Startup Secret…
• Disruptive innovation
Yet..
• NON disruptive adoption
58

59. “If you can’t explain it
simply, you don’t
understand it well enough.”
Albert Einstein
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
59

60. Radical Simplification
Data
Virtualization
Development /
Test
SLA
Management
WAN
Optimization
H/W
Independence
Centera
Atmos
SourceOne
Archive
Backup
Dedup
Replication
Snapshot
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
Actifio
“Protection
& Availability
Storage”
Content
Platform
Enterprise
Vault
Clearwell
FileNet
Content
Foundation
CommVault
NetBackup
Backup Exec
Veritas
Storage
Foundation
TSM
FilesX
StoreOnce
FalconStor
VTL
NetBackup
Appliance
ProtecTier
Remote
Copy
Continuous
Access
InMage
True Copy
Dynamic
Replicator
VVR
ApplicationH
A
Autonomy
SnapLock
Networker
Avamar
Disk Library
Data
Protector
SnapVault
CommVault
SyncSort
Avamar
DataDomain
AppSync
RecoverPoin
t
VPLEX
SRDF
RM
TimeFinder
SnapView
Virtual Copy
EVA
Snapshot
SnapMirror
SnapShot
Shadow
Image
CoW
Veritas
Storage
Foundation
GDPS
MetroMirror
GlobalMirror
GlobalCopy
FlashCopy
60

61. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Agenda – Build
Problem
Ideas
Solution
Define
Gain
Pain
Evaluate
Value
Prop
Build
61

62. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Value Prop
• For (target customers)
• Who are dissatisfied with (the current
alternative)
• Our product is a (new product)
• That provides (key problem-solving
capability)
• Unlike (the product alternative)
62

63. Roots of Our Marketing Strategy
The Copy Data Concept
•
•
•
•
Connects to BLATANT customer problem
Establishes a CRITICAL customer priority
Explains GAIN big enough to engenders cynicism
Minimizes PAIN by leaving Production Data alone
– “Land & Expand,” not “Rip & Replace”
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
63

64. From Strategy To Execution
Great positioning tells a STORY.

65. Take a picture…
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
65

66. At Enterprise Scale
BACKUP
SNAPSHOT
DISASTER RECOVERY
BUSINESS CONTINUITY
TEST & DEV
ARCHIVING
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
66

67. Today
•
•
•
•
Copy data is a $44 Billion global problem
Consumes 60% of disk capacity
Drives 65% of storage software spending
Accounts for 85% of hardware spending
Businesses spending much more to manage copies
of their data than they are to manage our data.
*IDC Insight document (#239875)
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO
67

68. Great stories have STRUCTURE.
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO

69. Elements of Value Proposition
•
•
•
•
•
•
target – actionable universe of buyers
segment – key, predisposing attribute
brand – a name you call yourself
category – a competitive frame for the buyer
distinction – what makes you unique
proof – perceived evidence of truth
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO

70. Combining Value Proposition
& Positioning Statement
For target who are segment,
brand provides the category with
distinction because of proof.
COPYRIGHT © 2013 ACTIFIO

71. Actifio : Today
For enterprises managing lots of
production data, Actifio copy data
management provides access to anything
instantly because it’s radically simple.
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71

72. What We Do
Radically simple copy data storage.
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72

73. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Build around - YOU...
• What problems do you understand uniquely
well?
• What solution can you deliver uniquely well?
• What kind of disruptive business model can
you bring?
73

74. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Summary
1. Define,
– 4U Need (Unworkable, Unavoidable, Urgent,
Underserved)
– 3D Solution (Discontinuous, Defensible, Disruptive)
2. Evaluate
– Gain/Pain >10
3. Build
– Around YOU!
74

75. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
Thank you…
Follow online
www.mjskok.com
• Ash Ashutosh,
Founder & CEO
• Mike Troiano,
CMO
@mjskok
/mjskok
linkedin.com/in/mjskok
bit.ly/mjskok-google
bit.ly/mjskok-youtube
75

76. Hi
Harvard innovation lab :
@innovationlab
Michael J Skok :
Startup Secrets :
Value Proposition
@mjskok
Harvard innovation lab
#startupsecrets
www.mjskok.com
START UP
SECRETS
An insider’s guide to unfair competitive advantage
Building a Compelling
Value Proposition
MICHAEL J SKOK
North Bridge Venture Partners
mjskok.com
twitter: @mjskok
77