Where innovation goes to scale
Centered at the heart of Silicon Valley, a world renowned technology hot spot we offer a wide selection of services to Danish researchers and companies looking to innovate and grow through international partnerships. We also provide customized support to American companies looking to establish a presence in Denmark. Our work is focused on three distinct technology sectors: ICT, cleantech and life sciences. Our services can be combined and extended according to your wishes and sector specific needs:
Are you ready to get feedback on and input to your business plan and get introduced to your initial Silicon Valley network? We use local partners to add strength to our own capabilities in a number of key areas. A key component of our business model is our Advisory Board. Local partners and a network of seasoned, successful individuals with a soft spot for Denmark form the core of the advisory board. They offer their Silicon Valley insight and feedback to Danish companies at roundtable business plan reviews. Innovation Centre Denmark is your company’s gateway to a network of valuable potential partners, service providers, investors and customers. A 3-5 day visit to Silicon Valley including introductions to a number of relevant people and a Business Plan Review is a unique chance to receive advice and constructive criticism from highly accomplished individuals and to make the necessary adjustments before facing investors, potential partners or clients. This visit can also introduce you to service providers incl. lawyers, accountants and consultants who may be able to take you to the next step. At Innovation Centre Denmark we are fortunate to have a great Silicon Valley network that is willing to pass on knowledge and insights to Danish start-ups. Part of the business plan feedback is a business plan review, where a handpicked group of seasoned Silicon Valley businesspeople spend an evening with you, taking your business plan apart and putting it back together. The Review Board members are all busy professionals – most of them with their own successful start-up. To get the most out of your visit we have set up a thorough preparation procedure that must be followed. The preparation involves creating a Silicon Valley style executive summary, presentation and pitch. You walk away with a relevant contact base in Silicon Valley, an action plan that summarizes the input from the Review Board. The plan lists the gaps and issues identified by the Review Board as well as their advice on how to close these gaps. On top of that you receive a DVD with the entire session for you to replay at your own convenience. If you come to Silicon Valley to seek venture capital, we not only recommend that you spend some time getting local feedback – it is mandatory! Deliverables:
The business plan feedback process: Preparation of material Schedule meeting program and invite review board members Visit including review board Action plan and DVD
The Business Plan Feedback and review board action plan can with advantage be combined with a Market & Technology Assessment, and/or an Inspiration Tour format to get the most out of your visit to the region!
12-slide pitch Do you need directions on the format and content preparing your pitch? If so, read the 12-slide Pitch here.
Are you looking to Silicon Valley for US venture capital? Whatever your objectives are; to grow your company or to prepare an exit - you need to know the rules and play by them. And it is not an easy task! A lot of hard work lies ahead, but we can guide you through the process! Silicon Valley has the largest concentration of venture capital anywhere in the world. And also the most savvy venture community. The mad days of the IT bubble are long gone. Today you need to have a solid business case and show that you can make real money. But that is not even enough. Silicon Valley is a tight knit community and some of the VCs on Sand Hill Road will not invest in anyone they cannot get to in less than 30 minutes, because they actually help you grow your business and add value to your daily business. Key Requirements Only 5-6 out of every 1000 pitches presented to Silicon Valley VCs receive funding. So chances are slim to start with. We can help you understand the key requirements so your project has a chance of making it through the screening phase. Seeking venture capital in Silicon Valley requires full commitment on your part. One commitment may be to have a presence in Silicon Valley, with the aim to become findable here. With funding we help you scale your company in Denmark. If that is not in the cards, then you are looking in the wrong place for money. But if you are ready to commit then we are committed to help you through the process. A Silicon Valley business case and VC presentation follows a fairly fixed format. We help you with guidelines and advice in the entire process. Process Getting connected to the VC community in Silicon Valley and possibly securing financing takes commitment and time. We have put together a process that will take you through all the necessary phases and make sure that you are ready before we make our move together. We call it Capital Connections. Capital Connections allows you to:
Let us work out a proposal based on your needs.
Are you interested in giving your organization an innovative boost? An innovation inspiration tour to Silicon Valley is a unique opportunity to get behind the scenes in one of the world’s most innovative environments. Silicon Valley can offer meetings, seminars, and networking events with interesting people and organizations that take part in making Silicon Valley the technological and innovative hotspots it is. The vast amount of highly innovative people, companies and universities offer input that may change your future way of doing business. Take advantage of the technological and innovative hotspot by offering your employees, clients or partners an inspirational tour to Silicon Valley that is specifically targeted to your needs and interest. Content The tour will be customized in content and length depending on your interests and needs. We recommend three days as a minimum with different components targeted specifically to your organization or group. The program can consist of, but is not limited to, some of the following sessions and components:
How to get started Silicon Valley is an extremely open community, where the flow of knowledge is never ending. Everyone is prepared and willing to share knowledge, relations and insights. For that reason, you will be included in a unique knowledge sharing which however, does include you! Be prepared to share your knowledge with people you meet. Be open to share your insights, views and relations. The fundamental basis of Silicon Valley works that way. If you plan to visit the region, and would like to hear more about what we can offer you and your group or organization, feel free to inquire about a proposal from us including an estimated fee for our service. Innovation Centre Denmark can offer you to arrange your tour, from content/program only to all practical issues involved from hotel to bus lease, booking of restaurants, etc. We know the right people and the cool places, as we live and work here every day.
If you are considering increasing your activity in Silicon Valley or in the US in general, and wishing to understand how your service or technology fits into the market place, an assessment can give you the knowledge you need to be able to decide on your next step, before investing heavily in a market entry. What is it? A Market & Technology Assessment offers you a quick review of the market for your specific product/service or an assessment of how your newly invented technology fits into the current market/business models in Silicon Valley. Focus in on assessing the potential for your product, service, solution or technology in the US using Silicon Valley as an entry point. The assessment gives you useful insight and feedback from one of the global hotspots. Outcome A market & technology assessment can supplement or substantiate your business plan if you are in the process of looking for a partner or for funding, or maybe just need to understand the US market for your solution. The deliverable is a report, which compiles the findings of the assessment. An assessment is based on desk research, identification of key players and interviews with 5-7 selected key players. Some of the following questions will be addressed:
The research is compiled into a report, which will be discussed with the customer before finalization. The report gives you an overview of:
Network Building When a Market and Technology Assessment is carried out a valuable side product is a mapping of key people in Silicon Valley. This network can easily be activated when you decide to come for a visit or set up your business in the valley. How to get started Each market and technology assessment is customized to your specific needs. Innovation Centre Denmark offers support to small and medium-sized companies, who can obtain so-called Innovation packages. Innovation packages offer you the use of our services for up to 210 hours with a 50% reduction of the price. Contact us if you want to explore if this offer applies to your company. Read more about Innovation packages here. How to continue In case you need additional market research we facilitate the connection to a trusted resource in Silicon Valley and can help you develop the specifications for such research. Any additional research by external resources is handled directly between you and the local resource in question.
Looking for a platform in Silicon Valley? Innovation Centre Denmark offers flexible plug and play solutions. All you have to do is decide if you want your office to be virtual, shared or dedicated. Innovation Centre Denmark offers your company a quality Silicon Valley platform in a dynamic and innovative environment minutes away from Stanford University and Sand Hill Road. With plug and play facilities and access to Innovation Centre Denmark's resources and services you can concentrate on building your business. You may choose between:
Do you want to tap into the Silicon Valley research and knowledge environment and discover new, disruptive technologies for use in your existing business and products? Our Technology scouting process helps you get a good overview of the possibilities in Silicon Valley and can get you introduced to the right people and technologies faster. At Innovation Centre Denmark we have an extensive network into the research and knowledge centres in Silicon Valley. We can within a short timeframe make sure that you get an overview of the existing research and technological advances in a specific field and get you introduced to people and technologies that can excel your business and create that competitive advantage. The San Francisco Bay Area is home to some of the most technological advanced companies and finest public and private research institutions in the world, where a very broad array of technologies are invented every day. According to the Silicon Valley index, 11 % of all US patents in 2006 were filed in the Silicon Valley area (excluding nearby San Francisco and Berkeley). To mention a few of the research institutions in the Silicon Valley proximity where Innovation Centers Denmark already has a network is Stanford University, U.C. Berkeley, SRI International, NASA AMES, PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), and many more. Technology scouting offers you:
Process The process can be customised to your specific needs, but a general suggestion for the process goes through a number of steps, where a go/no go decision can be made after each step.
The process should be initiated with a thorough discussion of your needs and expectations. This discussion will be on-going and iterated throughout the process. We will map Silicon Valley resources, competences and relevant people in your area of interest and you will receive a report with our findings. The report will form the basis for a 3-5 day meeting program. This program will include meetings with the identified resources and other networking opportunities within your area of interest. At the end of the visit we will make sure you are connected to the people of interest. If a cooperation on a joint research project is established it is possible to use the offices at Innovation Centre Denmark as a base for a temporary posted employee. How to get started Technology scouting usually is carried out in two different phases, where a mapping report will form the basis for the decision on go/no go for a meeting program. The initial mapping is estimated to take 35 hours and the meeting program an additional 35 hours.
Please contact Innovation Centre Denmark for more information and a customized proposal.
Entering the US market is a commitment that requires careful planning. We can facilitate your choice of entry strategy, help you develop a realistic plan and accelerate the implementation. If your objective is to enter the US market you can choose from a number of different entry strategies, from traditional to more innovative:
There are many different options. No matter which option you choose it will take detailed planning to implement. We will help you design the plan and find the right resources when you are ready to implement.
Are you looking to find the right partner within science, innovation and higher education? Representing the Danish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education, our team facilitates networks and cooperation between Danish researchers and your relevant partners in Silicon Valley. With no less than three of the world’s best Universities, the San Francisco Bay Area offers world-class research environments within practically all academic disciplines while at the same time being the home of the world’s leading high-tech enterprises. The universities contribute to the continued innovation of established enterprises, and researchers and students ensure entrepreneurial activity and mobility between universities and businesses. The main private university collaborating with Innovation Center Denmark is Stanford University, located just two miles from our office in Palo Alto. Not only is Stanford University one of the best in the world, but the money flow that passes through this institution is also quit impressive. Hence the budget for the years 2011/2012 was estimated to be around 3 billion dollars (with 18.500 students a year) compared to the University of Copenhagen – the biggest University of Denmark with 37.500 students has a budget in 2012 on 1.3 billion dollars. This underlines the opportunities of knowledge sharing and potential of collaboration across the Atlantic. We will create the connection to Silicon Valley by facilitating, connecting and bridging. Our services are tailor-made to the individual case, need and project, but can in short be divided in three clusters:
This underlines the opportunities of knowledge sharing and potential of collaboration across the Atlantic. Therefore we welcome approaches from both American and Danish stakeholders in order to create even more fruitful collaborations across the Atlantic.