Here is the Brand Accelerator pitch deck I began using to pitch current clients more than two years ago. I refined as we advanced through each phase once clients had signed on and we adjusted as necessary. I pitched this to more than twenty clients, all household brand names -- an converted each of them. Not a single brand declined to move forward.

2. 2
This post-PC era presents us with a unique opportunity to
understand people in a more complete context

3. Yet we continue to design for yesterday’s
destination web rather than today’s
contextual web

4. 4
And we remain obsessed with technology itself, rather
than exploring how to make it valuable for people. . .

5. Less than 1/3 provide integration with GPS and native mapping software
less than 5% utilize the gyroscope
Of the top 100 apps published by brands...
Only 17% include iOS notifications
16% incorporate the camera

6. When was the last time you
tapped on one of these?

7. 7
How many photo sharing
apps do we need?

8. 8
We can do better

9. Digital media has been marginalized. It now falls
within two distinct and independent domains
Programmatic
Innovation
Prevalence
Value
1) What we can easily buy, sell and measure
2) What we can’t

10. 10
We must start thinking about
technology as a cultural practice...

11. And start designing for the
everyday — thinking about the
situations and scenarios where
consumers welcome us, so long
as we’re meaningful. . .
go #mustangs

12. Intent: increase productivity and decrease costs.
Necessary and valuable, however impossible to sustain.
Historically, each innovation sought to collapse the supply chain in some way.
Goal: under-price the cost structure of the previous retail innovation.
The future of the productivity loop is limited.
Industry leaders will be forced to look for new sources of innovation.
Supply chain innovation PROBLEM

13. To genuinely be consumer-centric, brands and
agencies must begin to shift the focus of
innovation away from the supply chain
The new operating model for consumer-centric retailers will be knowledge driven.
Operational execution will have to be organized around the consumer
We must embrace...
SOLUTION

14. 1. demand chain innovation
2. openness

15. 15
Purpose
What?
Create new market space, bespoke solutions to the business
challenges faced by our clients, and valuable/scarce experiences
for our clients’ customers
How?
Strategic partnerships, co-creation and business model innovation

16. Guiding principles
Embrace disruption.
Go beyond the traditional advertising and media ecosystem.
Develop strategic partnerships.
Co-create and co-operate.
Start over.

17. Key success factor
synergies among brands,agencies and technology companies from day zero
Desired outcome
valuable,exclusive and scarce branded media experiences powered by technology
and collaborative ingenuity

18. 18
Insight
Entrepreneurs can have a
substantial impact on our
clients’ businesses if we
align with them as business
partners and scaffold them
with appropriate resources
Action
Empower a cooperatively
designed, cross-functional
team the opportunity to
create exceptional
experiences that enrich the
relationships between
brands and consumers
through media

19. 19
Platform

20. 20
Opportunity
The vast majority of startup accelerators and incubators are created and
managed by venture capitalists, investors, technology companies, and even
brands in some cases.
They abound in Silicon Valley (SF) and Alley (NYC). The application and
qualification process is incredibly competitive and the companies behind
these programs take an equity position in the startup in exchange for an
intense 6-8 weeks of mentorship and seed funding.

21. Although agency holding companies
have each made investments in seed and
growth stage technology companies
through their own venture funds…
…there remains a huge gap between adTech
companies and the agencies who ultimately
become their clients. This is our opportunity.

22. 22
What is it?
The Accelerator is a 12-week
program that unites brand, agency
and startups to create new value for
consumers in a disrupted and
fragmented marketplace.
Through a competitive process, DAN
agencies and their brand clients
invite 2-3 companies to join them in
addressing the most significant
business challenges facing brands
today.
What does each startup receive?
Each startup receives:
• Active mentorship from applicable DAN agency and brand client
• Product feedback and deployment of proofs-of-concept/prototypes
• Manhattan workspace at a DAN agency
• Membership into an exclusive Entrepreneurship & Fellows Network
What activities advance
the agenda?
Brand and consumer-centered
workshops and panel discussions on
issues relevant to adTech startups,
such as procurement, proofs-of-
concept, technology architecture,
agency and brand culture and
protocol, and broader industry
trends.
At the conclusion of the program, the
combined team presents a market-
ready prototype at a Demo Day,
where all stakeholders convene to
watch as the client-bespoke
Accelerator team presents 3-5
prototypes designed to specifically
solve for the challenge provided to
them at the onset of the process.

23. 23
What does it do?
Combines the power of technology,
culture and breakthrough ideas for
market launch, and in doing so bridges
the gap between scarcity and scalability.
How does it work?
Startups are selected on a “best fit” basis — meaning, alignment of brand challenge with
startup core attributes and relevant value in solving for each brand’s problem.
Each startup is vetted to preserve the pedigree of the talent pool, then advanced through a
short-term gestation program.
The DAN Venture Capital Council plays a key role throughout this process, with each VC
Partner screening their portfolio of investments to identify and nominate the most eligible
startups, given the brand’s unique challenge.
Who is eligible?
Early and growth-stage startups, their
investors, a community of cultural
influencers, and the largest brands and
agencies in the world.
The backbone of the majority of
companies within the program will be
technology and software.
Eligible startups may have a core or
combined focus on Digital, Mobile, Local,
E/M-com, Media, Ad Tech, SaaS, Payments,
Fashion Tech, and Data.

24. InvestorsAdvisors
Entrepreneurs

25. 25
Benefits
Access to budget gate-keepers
Relationship building through direct access to brands
Mentorship from media & advertising domain experts
Access to brand data & research
Integrate feedback into ad-tech product in real-time
Rapid speed to market
Trial feasibility
Startups
Catalyst for change
Access to scarce tech talent
Custom-built solutions to business challenges
Partner pipeline for the future
IP
Competitive advantage
Trial desirability
Clients
Ignition Innovation
New Shared Value

26. 26
RESULTS&LEARNING 1. Created Incremental And Ongoing Demand For Amnet; More Than $1 Million Incremental
Margin Driven In First 12 Weeks After Program Launch
2. Gained Access To Staples Transactional Data Once Client Crossed Trust Chasm
3. Now Creating Evergreen Tools For Small Business Owners / New Recurring Revenue Stream
4. Amnet Now Building Staples’ Data Management Platform
5. Tore Down Artificial Walls Inside Staples Organization
6. Staples Digital & Mobile Creative Went Into Formal Review Upon Client Seeing Accelerator
Prototypes
7. Proactively Solving For Client Problems Before They Ask Gives Us Permission To Play In New
Sandbox And Create New Market Space
8. Simplexity: Simplifies Complexity; Demystifies Innovation
9. Accelerator Client #2: Macy’s Committed $2 Million To Program Before First 12-Week Kickoff
Meeting

27. 27
NEXT
1. Accelerator Toolkits: Also Known As “Accelerator In A Box” Created &
Distributed To Dan Regions
2. Simple Process To Initiate Accelerator Program Virtually Through Neon &
Google,With Support From Central Team In NewYork
3. Expand Network Of Accelerator Regional Leads Under Hub, Spoke &
Node Model
4. Fill Creative Technologist Gap: Recruit In-Network TechnologistsWith
Ability To Apply Ingenuity When Solving ProblemsWith Technology
5. Grow Network OfVenture Capital Funds And The Firms Behind Them
6. Formalize RelationshipsWith Tier 1Venture Capital Firms In NewYork
7. Expand To Other Major U.S. CitiesWith Institutional, Private Equity,
Angel Investors, Etc; Expand Globally
8. Press Release And Joint InterviewsWith Media & Tech Trade
Publications And BlogsWeek Of July 13 (Tentative)

28. Partners

29. Gil Beyada
Genacast Ventures
Founder & Managing Partner
genacast.com
Roger Ehrenberg
IA Ventures
Founder & Managing Partner
iaventures.com
Chris Fralic
First Round Capital
Partner
firstround.com
Eric Hippeau
Lerer Hippeau Ventures
Managing Director
lererventures.com
Joe Medved
Softbank Capital
Partner
softbank.com
Karin Klein
Bloomberg Beta
Partner
bloombergbeta.com
VC COUNCIL

30. Startup A
2 Team members
Ed Gorman
Keri DeMarino
Liz Matthews
Startup B
2 Team members
Client
2-3 Team members
Accelerator Lead
Jason Newport
VCs: “filter”
Structure*
* example only; some names FPO

31. 31
Process

32. Share Ideate Incubate Test Learn Optimize

33. Timeline
(FPO content FYI
only)
JUL AUG SEP
K 4 WK 1 WK 2 WK 4WK 3 WK 1 WK 2 WK 1 WK 2 WK 4
DAN, CARAT: Send client brief to
VCs for client
VCs: Respond to client briefs (please
follow instructions provided in the
email accompanying the brief) with
two portfolio companies best
equipped to solve for the brand
challenge.
DAN, CARAT:: STAPLES account teams
meet with CLIENT to assess
submissions. Client team selects two
startups to work with.
DAN: On behalf of CARAT
account teams and CLIENT,
DAN announces STARTUPS
selected. All VCs will be
contacted.
DAN, CARAT &
STARTUPS:
Co-creation phase
begins. 3-hr kick off
meeting hosted by
DAN.
CLIENTS: Client leads from CLIENT meet
jointly with DAN, CARAT & STARTUPS to
receive progress report/status update
from build teams, and to provide
feedback.
WK 3
DAN, CARAT & STARTUPS:
Collaboration continues.
DAN to facilitate structured joint
sessions.
In addition, meetings may
happen intermittently as needed.
DAN, CARAT & STARTUPS:
Collaboration continues. Teams
may meet as often as necessary.
CLIENTS: Client leads from CLIENT meet
jointly with DAN, CARAT & STARTUPS: to
provide final feedback before “Demo
Day”.
WK 4 WK 3
PROTOTYPE REVEAL
DEMO DAY

34. 34
Digital repository and expansive platform minimizes learning curve; provides step-by-step instructions
throughout each phase of process
Platform is nearly 100% Google-powered and makes use of nearly every business tool available
Includes templates for all forms, questionnaires, FAQs, handbooks, promotional material , startup scorecards,
performance reports, modules for real-time video conferences
Perpetually updated with each client engagement to enable build of global database of startup attribute scoring
Enables swift communication among agencies, clients,VCs and startups — eliminates need for provisioning on
enterprise suites e.g. Sharepoint.