Innovation Partnering

Innovation is difficult in a vacuum. Beyond the idea of killer products, the realities of marketing in an information overloaded world, distribution with rising transportation costs, crossing the chasm of product and service acceptance, and the rising criticality of trust as a factor in consumer experience demands an approach that evaluates end-to-end value chains.

Finding partners to help with the shaping, birthing, and placement of a crazy powerful new idea can be crucial to success.

Think about recent moves by Apple to open up their platform for 3rd party developers. Why? Because the power of application and applicative ideas in an open market can fuel value for iPhone users which in turn reinforces loyalty and stimulates new customer aquisition that ultimately drives sales for Apple. Altruism aside, of course. 

Think about the entire path of your product and service; think about who can help in areas that you may not be strong; think about how you could draw lines in the sand effictively and still maintain mutual benefits.