To identify the best opportunities requires excellent industry insight and professional execution skills. Qi3 has extensive experience which can uncover the full potential of the technologies and undertake technical due diligence.
Technology Scouting & Horizon Scanning
If you are looking to identify emerging technologies or gather information relating to a particular technology, we can help you search for information, offer comparative analysis and evaluate the potential of an idea. We are retained by several clients to scout and evaluate technologies arising from academic research, small companies and competitors. This work may be undertaken on a project or on-going basis.
Corporate Venturing
We have experience of scouting, selecting and negotiating strategic alliances, Joint Ventures including virtual teams. This includes creation of value in non-core markets from IP developed by the company. For example, technology developed for defence/security may be applied in other industrial applications. We have worked with several multinational technology corporations to secure such deals. Qi3 has a specific marketing methodology for maximising the value of your Intellectual Property, usually outside of your core business.
- The fundamental principle is that we leverage your understanding of how your IP portfolio can be applied in your own business to support exploitation in other applications
- The service is designed for corporate venturing organisations and innovation houses
- Qi3’s market research is a structured approach to identifying potential new markets for new and existing technologies
Intellectual Property is an important element of a company’s assets, but is all too often treated purely as an “overhead cost”, and its potential contributions to profit and the attainment of strategic business objectives overlooked or misunderstood. Extracting optimum value from a company’s IP may include; licensing, sale, or the creation of “spin-out” or joint venture companies. Making the most appropriate choice requires examination of the IP strength, its strategic value (in terms of the needs and objectives of the company) and effectively matching it with new applications and associated markets. These activities demand a mix of technical, marketing and IP exploitation skills. Our extensive commercial and IP management experience and strong technology base, linked with our “hands on” marketing approach enables us to undertake each task with insight and efficiency. Qi3’s market research has been designed in modular form, making it flexible enough for you to efficiently and cost-effectively harness our expertise and experience to achieve the specific results you need.
Mergers, JV Formation, Acquisition & Disposal
Scouting for opportunities, selecting viable candidates, undertaking independent assessments of acquisitions and post acquisitions can take considerable time and effort. Qi3 provides hands-on strategic resource to support negotiation and marketing strategy design for all of the above and we have plenty of experience from our own successes and mistakes along the way.
Technology and Intellectual Property Evaluation
We have considerable understanding of technology developments in a range of areas, and use this for microenvironmental analysis. We work with Intellectual Property Associates to undertake evaluation of the IP landscape relevant to pursuing a market or investment. Qi3 deploys a specific methodology to align investment in IP, technology and business development.
Licensing
Qi3 assists companies with licensing or sale of their intellectual property (patents, etc.). For many companies, an advantageous strategy is to license intellectual property to non core markets, providing a revenue stream that pays for further product and market development of core products. This service can include:
- Assessment of readiness to license (development stage, know-how status, etc.)
- Resolution of issues in the manufacturing chain, e.g. identification of manufacturing partners
- Initial ‘Technology Market Evaluation’ to identify potential applications, markets and target licensees (leading to the formulation of a licensing strategy)
- Approach and presentation of the IP to target licensees
- Negotiation of commercial licence terms
- The drafting of licence agreements and subsequent negotiation to agreement execution