This is the third article in a continuing monthly series chronicling the growth path of Genevolve Vision Diagnostics, a life sciences startup based in Albuquerque, NM that is commercializing cutting edge genetic research to develop new diagnostic tests and gene therapies for colour blindness.
By Francis Moran and Leo Valiquette
According to Matt Lemelin, CEO of Genevolve Vision Diagnostics, there are more than 100 occupations which rely on workers having normal colour vision. As we explored in our last post, civilian and military aviation, where there is no room for error, ranks high on this list. Job performance and passenger safety depends on pilots, air traffic controllers and many other technical and support personnel having full colour vision.
It’s easy to understand, then, why Lemelin is filled with such enthusiasm for Genevolve’s prospects when he hears the United States Air Force state that “no colour vision test currently on the market delivers what the Air Force requires.”
“We are very excited about the possibilities of working with the Air Force and other governmental departments,” he said. “We have a fairly complete understanding of their needs in regards to colour vision and we feel we have a turnkey solution to resolve their longstanding issues.”
The challenge, of course, is to bring to market a compelling product that is protected by a rigorous intellectual property (IP) strategy and has garnered the regulatory approvals and industry praise to attract the interest of such a flagship customer. In this post, we will take a look at Genevolve’s product development, IP strategy, business plan and how venture capital does, or does not, fit into the picture.
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By Alexandra Reid
Although still invite only, Pinterest is skyrocketing as a popular social media platform among businesses and consumers. And while it’s not critical that B2B businesses launch their own boards right away, it’s certainly worth your while to check out the site and determine if and how it could be worked into a social media marketing strategy.
I’ve played around and done the research on behalf of our clients, and thought it might be helpful if I shared my findings for other B2B businesses interested in pursuing the new social channel.
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As part of our ongoing series examining the ecosystem necessary to bring technology to market, David French, a senior Canadian patent attorney with 35 years of experience, provides a further commentary on the importance to a company of protecting its intellectual property.
By David French
In previous posts, we have addressed procedural issues relating to patents. In this post, we wrestle with the fundamental premise: Is it worth what we’re spending in obtaining patents?
“How can we find out whether we’re getting value for all the money that we’re spending on patents within the company?” That was the question that had been posed in my conversation with the chief financial officer of a local business. And it is a question that I’ve heard before. It is a tough question to answer.
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By Francis Moran
One of my favourite personal-development aphorisms is the phrase, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” On Wednesday, at an event organised by TEC Canada, a peer-to-peer mentoring program for business leaders of which I’ve been a member for more than five years, noted author and thinker Dr. Chris Luebkeman took it one step further.
“Change is constant. The future is fiction. Participation is what shapes our world,” he told 175 CEOs and other business people gathered for the event. “If you’re not participating in writing the story of tomorrow, you’re going to live in a story that someone else wrote.”
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By Alexandra Reid
Whether or not blog comments are valuable has been debated for a long time in the blogosphere, but recently it seems more people are standing even firmer on their chosen side of the debate.
In a recent article by GigaOm, blogger Mathew Ingram brought up the comment debate once again by calling attention to the ongoing battle between TechCrunch writer-turned-venture-capitalist MG Siegler and VC Fred Wilson. Siegler “doesn’t have comments on his blog and has written several posts defending his decision, saying they are 99-percent bile and a waste of his time,” writes Ingram. While Wilson says “Siegler is missing a lot by not allowing comments.”
Ingram goes on to list some of the prominent individuals who have decided to turn off blog comments for various reasons, including Matt Gemmell and Seth Godin.
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Wanted: Partners willing to take a leap of faith
January 18, 2012 by Francis Moran
In our last post, we spoke to Katie and Luke Hrycak, the sibling founders of CommentAir, about their challenges as technology entrepreneurs who do not have a background in technology. A process of self-education and aggressive networking to tap into the expertise of supportive advisors and mentors has been […]
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The impact of infographics on marketing, journalism
January 17, 2012 by Linda Forrest
As a marketer and as a consumer of vast quantities of media, I couldn’t help but notice the surge in the use of infographics by my fellow marketers and the media in recent months. […]
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The prime minister is calling: Are you prepared for success?
January 16, 2012 by John Craig
Obtaining a lighthouse customer is a critical first step in starting a business. It establishes your credibility as a seller, and creates a repeatable case study that captures the needs of your target market. The follow-on step is differentiating your business relative to the competition […]
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Have you got the write stuff?
January 13, 2012 by Linda Forrest
In order to be an effective modern marketer, one must be an adept communicator. In the modern world, one where electronic communications are at the fore of our personal and professional lives, that includes a lot of written communication. […]
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Best of: Embargos and how to use them effectively
January 12, 2012 by Danny Sullivan
When a technology company approaches the date of a significant news announcement, the possibility of offering the story to media under embargo is often raised. For those unfamiliar with the term, it simply means giving selected media advance access to the news that you will be distributing, usually on the […]
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Important points B2B businesses should consider before launching a Facebook brand page
January 11, 2012 by Alexandra Reid
Francis Moran and Associates now has a branded page on Facebook. As the community manager here and a social media professional, I’m delighted. But I think it’s important to explain why we took so long to decide that this was a good idea, in case any of you are also humming and hawing […]
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Putting your assumptions to the test
January 10, 2012 by Francis Moran
In our last post, we looked at Screenreach Interactive’s recent inroads in the radio and television industries. But making a splash at major industry events and with high profile clients demands one thing – a compelling product […]
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Tribes in a techno world
January 09, 2012 by Bob Bailly
My recent posts have looked at what we can learn about our business behaviour from a neuroscientific point of view. We’ve looked at how our brains have evolved and how this affects the way we behave and act. Neuroscience teaches us that […]
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By Francis Moran and Leo Valiquette
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It’s Summertime…and the Networking is Easy? | THE MERRAINE BRAIN : [...] In fact, summer is perhaps one of the times least used to network, yet at the same time has shown to be the most productive time to network. People tend to be in a brighter mood compared to during the gloomy winters-especially where I am from in England! Networking needs to be fun and not approached as another chore, like mowing the lawn. (http://francis-moran.com/marketing-strategy/social-media-strategy-why-meeting-in-the-real-world-matt...) [...]