Let’s say your prospects of success are x%.
Statistically speaking, x is very low. This is because most startups fail. Startups who started off full of promise and energy. Like your startup right now…
If you fail to achieve success, it probably won’t be because of your product or service or technology. It’ll probably be because of mistakes you make with respect to a range of commercial and legal issues.
Commercial and legal issues that your startup will miss altogether (wrong business model, wrong customers, missed partnering opportunities, leaking/lost IP, poor terms in your agreements with others, etc). Or which you handle poorly because you can’t afford to pay for the quality help you need.
We’ve dealt with those commercial and legal issues hundreds of times. We’ve addressed them with startups like you.
We believe that, with our involvement, due to the experience and quality that we bring to the table, we will take your chances of success higher than x%. Much higher.
And here’s the thing: we so believe that, that we’re willing to put our money where our mouth is. We’re willing to share your risks of failing in return for a share of your success.
In fact, if we think you’re good enough (and we approach this in the same way as any sophisticated investor would), we’ll help you out for free. That’s a full risk-share arrangement.
It’s an investment in you and us, as a team. Each focusing on what we’re best at.
Your core: Helping you develop the right strategy and business model – mistakes here and you’re finished (or at least struggling, until we help you get it right).
Precious IP: Making sure you always own the IP you think you own – mistakes here could mean you’re finished, or no investors, or potential court cases down the track as hyenas from your past go for a piece of you.
The art of doing a good deal: Making sure you negotiate and close deals with everyone you deal with (suppliers, developers, partners, licensees, investors etc) on better terms – mistakes here eat away at your prospects (and your value) across many fronts.
Focus your resources: Making sure you focus your resources (including time, people and precious cash) on the most appropriate activities – reinventing the wheel, focusing on the wrong features or the wrong use-case or wrong customer segments … all spell disaster.
IP competitive advantage: Making sure you don’t accidentally squander the IP you have – mistakes here and bye bye potentially valuable IP/patent protection, hello cheap imitators with lower development costs.
Other competitive advantages: Making sure you understand the essence of your competitive advantages, you don’t squander them, and that you leverage them powerfully towards success – mistakes here and you’re spinning your wheels.
Opportunities: Making sure you don’t fail to identify opportunities – are you sure you’re partnering with the right people? Have you identified your potential springboards and allies? Are you sure your true and most valuable customers are those you think they are? Mistakes here and you’re destined to fail.
Spend wisely: Making sure you protect your IP wisely (when, where and how to protect) – mistakes here can waste cash on unnecessary patent expenses. Precious, precious startup cash.
Understanding capital raising and getting investment-ready: Do you even need it? How much? With which investors? On what terms? Are you ready? Have you put your best foot forward? – mistakes here, and you’ve given too much away (in value and control) to the wrong investor at the wrong time.
Other risks: See also our page about some key risks that all innovators face.