Copyright © 2014 All Rights Reserved Illuminating The Future The SearchLite Nanocomposite Sensor Market Application Challenge - Case Study
Jun 20, 2015
Copyright © 2014 All Rights Reserved
Illuminating The Future
The SearchLite
Nanocomposite Sensor
Market Application Challenge - Case Study
A Market Discovery Challenge was conducted for a Nanocomposite based sensor technology developed at the University of Delaware. The following case study summarizes the process followed and outcomes achieved.
Summary
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“The SearchLite process generated helpful insights for the inventor and tech transfer team. We validated some assumptions and generated some new and relevant opportunities to investigate further ”. -Gary Simon - Business Development Advisor, University of Delawarecustomer discovery.
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•The University of Delaware (UD) has a novel 3D nanocomposite fibrous mesh composed of gold nanorods (AuNRs) and polycaprolatone (PCL) electrospun fibers fabricated via polyelectrolyte decoration.
•Using a chemically functionalized “bridging” molecule, such as AuNR , the invention, captures “target” heavy metal ions or other atomic or molecular species. An amplification mechanism, Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS), is used to detect trace amounts of captured or reacted species that are attached to the AuNRs via the “bridging” molecules.
•This technology has the potential to enhance surface area and drive 6X increase in Raman intensity.
•This technology can detect probe molecules at very low levels of concentration.
Introduction
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What are the market applications?
•The University of Delaware wanted to identify possible market applications that would provide a good product–market fit for their Nano-composite-based Sensor/Detector Technology
•They knew some of the potential market applications for the technology… But could there be others that would be equally applicable?
•Could The SearchLite identify potential licensing partners?
The SearchLite ran a 2 week Market Discovery Challenge to identify potential market applications
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The SearchLite Process
•The SearchLite is a Community-Based Market Discovery & Validation Platform.
•We connect inventors and technologies with matching Customer Segments, their Industry Ecosystem profiles and Technology Adoption dynamics.
•Our Customer Discovery Challenges reduce market risk for early-stage technologies by identifying Product-Market Fit.
The SearchLite platform brings Inventors,
Innovators and Entrepreneurs together in
one place to discover Customer Segment
Profiles using competitions called
Market Discovery Challenges.
Market Application
Industry Ecosystem
Tech Adoption Dynamics
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Market Application Landscape: A Level 1 Market Discovery Challenge
Inputs
•Secondary Research
•Community Discussion
Outputs
• Customer Segment Profiles
• Relative Market Sizing
• Prior Art Assessment
Timeline
•Planning = 2 Weeks
•Facilitation = 2 Weeks
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Industry Ecosystem: A Level 2 Customer Discovery Challenge
Community
• Innovators-in-Residence
• Mentors-in-Residence
• Industry Knowledge Experts
Inputs
• Secondary Research
• Community Discussion
• Limited Primary Research
Outputs
• Industry Ecosystem Insights • List of Key Contacts
• Secondary Research Reports
Timeline
•Planning = 3 Weeks
•Facilitation = 3 Weeks
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• Eight Market Segment Profiles were submitted and shaped by sixteen Community Members
• Participants commented and voted on alternative Market Segments as to their match with UD’s Gold Nanorod technology’s benefits and Value Proposition.
• “Breath Analyzer” was voted as the most promising market application for further investigation, with FOUR other market applications tied-in for second place.
• The Outputs included:
• Primary Research with KOL insights
• Potential Licensing Opportunities
• Actionable Next steps and Recommendations
.
Market Application Challenge: Outputs
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• Over two weeks in February, 2014, The SearchLite team and community validated our process by demonstrating high engagement on presenting and molding market applications for this Nanocomposite technology .
• As a direct result of The SearchLite team’s targeted crowdsourcing efforts, potential licensing partners were identified
• Our community is a great filter for commenting on technical feasibility of certain market applications. For
example Devon Triplett, one of our IIRs wrote: “I don't believe the anti-counterfeit segment fits the invention because the anti-counterfeit application is about patterning of gold nano rods and the invention is creating a composite material without the ability to pattern the rods.”
.
Market Application challenge: A dynamic IP marketing tool
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Recommended Next Steps: Pivot!
Technology Adoption Dynamics challenge
Community
• Mentors-in-Residence
• Industry Knowledge Experts
• Subject Matter Experts
Inputs
• Secondary Research
• Primary Research
• Synthesis & Analysis
Outputs
• Technology Adoption Insights • Key Recommendations • S-Curve Revenue Estimate
Timeline
•Planning = 4 Weeks
•Facilitation = 4 Weeks
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The SearchLite is a community based market discovery and validation platform that identifies path to market for new technologies. Our Customer Discovery Challenges reduce market risk of new technologies by quantifying product-market fit, mapping the industry ecosystem and providing technology adoption dynamics for new technologies in any stage of
development.
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Copyright © 2014 All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2014 All Rights Reserved
Illuminating The Future
The SearchLite
Nanocomposite Sensor
Market Application Challenge - Case Study