100 Nano-Stories: INAM Reflections!
Episode #27: My Takeaways On INAM & Material Science Round Table Discussion!
Preface! → ✨
It’s your favorite nanotechnology & material science, enthusiast! A couple of days ago, I attended a webinar on Advanced Materials from Innovation Network for Advanced Materials (INAM), where global innovation for advanced materials with startups, corporations, research institutions, and individuals to enhance the development of Advanced Materials!
CEOs, Corporates, and researchers discussed problems for collaborations with corporates in Material Science, customers, and more, and learned the truth in the advancements of nanotechnology & materials science! Thank you, INAM and co.! 🤩
Background on INAM! → 📓
- INAM Offical Website
- Start Up The Science Podcast → Entrepreneurs, researchers, and startup companies discuss their company, material science, nanotechnology, etc.
- INAM YouTube Channel → Recorded Events & Podcast Episodes.
- INAM LinkedIn
TL;DR →INAM
INAM is a non-profit bridging the existing gap between research and industry in the field of Material Sciences & Advanced Materials, to accelerate technology innovations and innovators in Advanced Materials, Material Science, and Nanotechnology!
But enough talking! Let’s get to the good stuff! What did I learn? What lessons can I share with you, reader? Here you go! 😊
Discussion + My Takeaways! → 🧠
Problems For Collaborations With Corporates In Material Science! 🤔
There is a wide range of customers for a product.
A layer of different people makes big decisions.
Sometimes it’s hard to get a good connection for collaboration
Don’t give away all your technology, but don’t hide the tech either.
Networking can be really difficult in looking for investors/customers.
Startups can provide a backbone for the process.
A lot of companies start with the idea, but not with the plan, for a startup, you want to meet the right people.
An ideal startup would be:
- Clarity of the product they are trying to make.
- No confusion.
- How you are presenting the idea to people?
- The relevance of the technology to society/customers.
- What is in for the investor(s) for supporting the technology/product?
- A startup should have a strong founding team.
- The startup has validated its market.
- The startup has executed its idea.
- Investors/ Corporates are looking for a startup, but they are looking for an idea, clarity of the idea, a product, and a good-working team.
Tor Einar Norbakk (CEO Of Svenska Aerogel AB) 😁
Author’s Note: Yes, I know, I’m biased to Aerogel, but here are my takeaways from what he talked about! 😉 Briefly, he has been at Svenska Aerogel AB for 2 years as CEO.
- Focus on the market & who you want to sell the product to.
- Svenska Aerogel AB was more on research when they started.
- You need to go from government funding to customer funding to grow.
- What is the challenge they’re trying to overcome in a company? That is what you should face now.
- For every valuable connection, share about the idea. That will lead to future success.
- If you can demonstrate your product/idea to your potential first customer or valuable connection, you have a BIG win for the product/company/idea in the long run.
And speaking of customers, dear reader. . .
How To Get The First Big Customer! 💰
- Don’t talk too much about Technology to the customer. Explain the product, but don’t necessarily go into the mechanisms of it.
- What are we discussing for the (material science) industry when customers notice our product? What do we expect from the product?
- Use POC to customers (Proof of Concept)
- The complexity of the product will determine the clarity and knowledge that you have. If you can’t explain your product, it’s not a good one to sell to customers.
Closing Thoughts With INAM! 💭
Feedback > Money is the key to improve your company/product. Make sure it’s un-sugarcoated, no B.S. feedback!
The worst mistake for improving a product is declining to reach out for the right feedback, let alone ask for any feedback. Another challenge is finding the right resources, and how to follow up for a startup or product.
Once again, huge shoutout to INAM for organizing the event and allowing me to participate in your discussions! Thank you so much! :)
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© 2021 by Carlos Manuel Jarquin Sanchez. All Rights Reserved.