Business support from the experts
Gateway to New Product Development
Gateway to New Product Development 3
Introduction
Whether you are discovering your
concept, building your business
case, in development, testing the
market or ready to launch there
are key pitfalls at each stage that
we can help you avoid.
We understand the commercial
risks of bringing a new product to
market and depending on where
you are in your journey we can
help you build your business case,
put you in touch with reliable suppliers, work with you
to test the idea, assess the market value and bring the product
to commercialisation.
Our team of highly-trained specialists will not only coach you
through the rigorous process of bringing the product concept to
fruition, they will conduct continued evaluations of your product
proposition, perform a full industry review and tap into
an extensive knowledge base of expertise and skills.
Our well-developed evaluation tools and metrics have helped
scores of businesses introduce new products to market and
improved their internal capabilities since its launch in 2007
and now we want to help your business.
I myself ran a company for more than 25 years with around
160 employees and I know all the pitfalls waiting for businesses,
because unfortunately I have fallen into some of them myself
whilst at the same time enjoying great successes.
So whilst the Gateway programme has a proven record of
guiding companies to incredible success as they launch new
products, it can also stop you making a terrible mistake with
a panel of experts on hand to advise you every step of the way.
This booklet shows some of those success stories and the many
ways in which Gateway can help a business. We hope it will
encourage you to ask us how best we can help you as you look
to the future growth and success of your business.
Roy Pulley New Product Development Specialist
Gateway to New Product Development is a unique business support offering, created to help guide you through the obstacles to successfully launch a new product.
“The process is designed to progressively assess the
Return on Investment (ROI) against Risk, so that ongoing
investment decisions can be made wisely based on credible
management information.”
Roy Pulley
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DISCOVERY
BUSINESS CASE D E V ELOPMEN
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DISCOVERY
BUSINESS CASE D E V ELOPMEN
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Gateway to New Product Development 5Gateway to New Product Development4
Designing for ‘Desirability’
Return on Investment (ROI)
Protecting the Sexy Bits
Getting your ducks in a row
Customers are human too
Because money doesn’t grow on trees
Making it Makeable to Make Money
If you don’t know where you are going… all roads lead there
Keep it safe, sustainable and legal
Reach the right people
A clear vision for success It’s a chain reaction
EconoveyCase Study
A pioneering new chain belt technology is set to revolutionise the way products, including bulk materials, are transported.
The ground-breaking Econovey 2D chain belt will provide an
alternative and far more cost effective solution to the traditional
chain belt. It will enable material handling businesses, such as
food and aggregate industries, across the world to move their
products more efficiently.
Engineer Jeff Gough was the brains behind the design, but
at 82-years-old, he decided he’d rather enjoy his retirement
so passed his invention on to someone who had the time
and expertise to take the idea forward.
With a background in the food technologies business, Simon
Wheatley, MD at Econovey Technologies, was the right man for
the job. He said: “Myself and Jeff were introduced through the
MAS comprehensive network. Without them, this pioneering
new chain would never have seen the light of day.”
Whilst keeping its strength, durability and the ability to be
maintained, the new Econovey chain belt is also lighter and uses
less energy.
With the help of the Gateway to NPD process, the Econovey
chain belt has now commercialised by securing international
licence agreements.
Simon added: “We knew we had a revolutionary new product
on our hands right from the beginning and the panel of experts
saw this potential and they were able to guide and advise
throughout. In particular the panel of experts was vital in the
development of the belt.
“I found the panel to be very enthusiastic as well as challenging
about our new technology. They asked us the questions we
hadn’t yet asked ourselves and this third party expertise was vital
to keep us on-track and gave us the confidence to keep moving
forward.”
Cipher SurgicalCase Study
Gateway to New Product Development Gateway to New Product Development6 7
Advances in medical research have to be matched by advances in technology and one company leading its field is Cipher Surgical which has developed a unique system that aims to make laparoscopic surgery less risky.
The medical device company was established to design, patent
and globally market a device which maintains a clear distal
window of the laparoscope during an operation.
Andrew Newell, managing director of Cipher Surgical, said;
“In laparoscopy, a laparoscope is introduced into the abdomen
for minimum invasive surgery. However, there are problems
when the end of the laparoscope, which houses the camera lens,
becomes covered in contaminants such as condensation, fluids,
tissue, blood and that sort of thing.
“The current gold standard to clean this is to remove the
laparoscope for washing. However, this often happens at a time
of extreme risk, for example if there is a bleed, and it can cause
great concern for theatre staff.
“What we have done is develop OpClear™, which is a technology
which clears the scope without removing it from the abdomen.
It is unique and is a combination of technologies. A polymer
sheath clips onto the laparoscope and a control unit blows CO2
gas up the sheath which clears everything in its path. It is a very
simple, elegant design.”
Cipher Surgical decided to enlist the help of the NPD Gateway
from a very early stage, and found it instrumental in its research
and development process.
Andrew added: “We had a lot of development to do and we were
very fortunate to receive a grant from MAS with regard to this.
“We went through the Gateway Panel process which we thought
was very rewarding. They made us think really hard, under
questioning, about what it was we were trying to achieve and
how we were going to achieve it.
“I think for a company such as ours, particularly where the team
has limited expertise, by working with the Gateway programme
we have been able to beef up our knowledge by challenging
what we are trying to do. The panel also made sure we were
delivering best practice in all areas of the business.
“Gateway has proved extremely helpful especially as the panel
brought other elements to the equation that we had not really
thought about. The whole experience has been invaluable.”
CommercialisationTesting and validation
Turning bike design on its head
As an ex-elite triathlon athlete, Martin Meir knows that hi-tech equipment is one way of shaving off those vital minutes from your overall time. He also knows that the triathlon world is ready for a revolution, and has created a new style of Time Trial bike that aims to cut race times dramatically by considering all aspects of the bicycle offering.
Kamm DesignCase Study
Kamm Design is a spin-off company of Kamm Projects,
a specialist advanced composite manufacturer. It aims to
create a new cycle brand and is one of only a handful of cycle
manufacturers in the UK.
Its first product is aimed squarely at the triathlon market as the
sport is unregulated and open to innovation.
Martin said: “All other cycle sports are heavily regulated and this
has hampered development. But we had a clean sheet of paper
for triathlons, and we wanted to create a cycle that was lighter,
faster and more user friendly. We are breaking the paradigm
and challenging the traditional bicycle design.
“We want to offer people a way of optimising their performance
on the bike leg, so they are fresher for the run and we carried out
a lot of research into the aerodynamic relationship between the
body and the machine,” added Martin.
“We decided to approach the Gateway programme not only
for funding advice but also because we could see the benefit
of an external body looking in on our proposal. The panel went
through our business plan to make sure we had covered all
aspects and they assured us it was a correct and robust plan
with the right market analysis.
“To have an external body watching over you that is objective
is extremely worthwhile and they gave us the assurance that we
had come up with a good proposal. It also gave us an external
audit process which helped when applying for funding and also
gave due diligence for investors.
“It gives us confidence to have an advisor there who has
experience and understands our project both commercially and
engineering wise. You cannot be an island of information and
do it by yourself, you need some external people who can be
thought-provoking and who can provide a sounding board.
“We aim to create a brand image and then market other designs
of cycle. The future is very exciting.”
Gateway to New Product Development Gateway to New Product Development8 9
New Product Development Gateway
We can offer you a structured, rigorous process that helps you on the road to bringing your new product to market. No matter what stage of development you have reached, there is a Gateway for you!
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY
Project Selection
Stage 1 Discovery
Stage 0 Enquiry
Stage 2 Building the
Business Case
Stage 3 Design and
Development
Stage 4 Testing and Validation
Stage 5 Business Ramp-up
Stage 6 Launch and
Review
G0 G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6
Business Feasibility
Risk mitigation
Go to Development
Go to Validation
Investment Approval
Pre-Launch Review
Post-Launch Review
Product development
Gateway to New Product Development Gateway to New Product Development10 11
New Product Development Diagnostic
Return on Investment (ROI) versus Risk
A regular, multi-question assessment of the value proposition throughout the Gateway journey and based on the five critical success factors for NPD.
• Product/technology
• Market
• Manufacture
• Business
• Finance
Depicted graphically on a radar chart, the tool shows progress and concurrency throughout
the development process; valuable to the client, the coach and the assessment panel.
Gate 1 to Gate 5 Project Position – Risk vs Reward vs ‘Cost to Do’
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it!”
This tool quantifies risk at any stage of the journey, by factoring progress against three readiness levels:
• Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs)
• Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRLs)
• Commercialisation Levels (CRLs)
– the output from which is a level of ‘un-readiness’, which relates directly to the remaining level
of risk in the journey
By establishing the Return on Investment (ROI) from both the predicted commercial benefit
and the non-recurring cost of investment, then the relationship between all three can be
portrayed on a ‘time based’ bubble chart.
This tool provides assurance to all stakeholders that risk is being progressively mitigated.
Gateway 1
Gateway 2
Gateway 3
Gateway 4
Gateway 5
Market
Business Manufacturing
Finance Product
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Risk
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Commercial Benefit
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G3
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Mentor• Coaching to a structured process
• Journey based diagnostics
• Evaluation tools and metrics
• Connectivity to UK knowledge base
• Connectivity to manufacturing capabilities
& capacity
• Leverage of available grant funding
Product expert• Design and development
• Branding
• Engineering
• Technology
• Product Compliance
• Testing and validation
Marketing nous• Market analysis
• Market segmentation
• Competitor analysis
• Voice of Customer (VoC)
• Routes to Market
• Strategy
Business guru• Business modelling
• Business planning
• Company structure
• Investment readiness
• Intellectual property
• Legal and professionals
Manufacturing advisor• Make/Buy analysis
• Design for Manufacture
• Manufacturing 4Ms
(materials/machinery/manpower/methodology)
• Advanced Product Quality Planning
• Quality/Cost/Delivery (QCD) management
• Supply Chain management
Finance specialist• Financial modelling
• Return on Investment (ROI)
• Risk Analysis
• Due diligence
• Access to finance (grant/debt/equity)
• R&D tax credits and Patent Box
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Your panel provides a wealth of expertise and knowledge at your fingertips. Made up of up to six professionals, the panel members have a deep understanding of product development which, together with the programme’s evaluation tools and metrics, means they can guide you through your journey.
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Gateway to New Product Development Gateway to New Product Development12 13
Meet your panel
Most households start to feel like Widow Twankey has moved in on wash day as wet clothes are hung to dry over every available surface. But for Lucie Savidge and Julia Adams such horrors are a thing of the past after they invented their easy-to-use Laundry Ladder. The product, designed by Lucie, has so revolutionised their homes that they have now formed their own company Julu and are about to launch their product onto the market.
Wash day will never be the same again
It has taken the childhood friends several years to create and
perfect their Laundry Ladder as neither of them had a great
deal of business experience. They both agree that without the
guidance of the Gateway to NPD they would not have had the
confidence to get this far.
The Laundry Ladder, which is British-made out of ash, has been
developed as an eco-friendly way of drying large quantities of
washing.
Lucie, a designer who also works as a teaching assistant, said:
“I originally designed the Laundry Ladder because I cannot
stand washing all around the house but I wanted something
that was easy to use and could be stored away. It sits on the wall
making it suitable for houses, flats and cottages, large or small.
It could also be used in a garage, on a balcony or on a
garden wall.
“The ladder hangs on brackets and can be used inside or taken
outside. Using a pulley system, half the ladder can be lowered
down to 90 degrees to hang your washing on but it can be
raised, still with your washing in place, so that it is not in
your way.”
Julia, a holistic therapist, added: “We were struggling to find
a manufacturer and were put in touch with the Gateway to
New Product Development Programme. It is great to have access
to somebody who has a wealth of experience and at every stage
they have been at the end of the phone.
“They have kept us going once or twice when we have had a
bit of a wobble, but they have kept the faith in our product and
helped us find a manufacturer, carry out market research,
find a reliable patent advisor, web designer and key individuals
to give us the confidence that we are doing everything right.
“They have an effective risk mitigating process and the right
methodology to keep everything moving in the right direction.
It is so exciting, as we are about to launch our Laundry Ladder
and our website. We are confident in our beautiful product and
the future is looking great.”
Julu LtdCase Study
“We were struggling to find a manufacturer and were put
in touch with the Gateway to New Product Development
Programme. It is great to have access to somebody who has
a wealth of experience and at every stage they have been at
the end of the phone.”
Julia Adams
Gateway to New Product Development Gateway to New Product Development14 15
Launch
Smart Innovations GridCase Study
“ We’re incredibly proud of our achievements so far and are now
looking at doing a post-launch assessment with the panel with
a view to developing a strategy for future products.”
Sean Elliott
Gateway to New Product Development16 17
Commercialisation
For schools, hotels, and even village halls, it is absolutely vital to manage energy consumption efficiently to be as cost effective as possible and minimise harm to the environment. And with organisations in the UK having to adhere to strict energy management guidelines under the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, minimising energy waste is a top priority.
Energy management experts, Smart Innovations Grid, based
in Tamworth, is a company in the know - developing state-of-
the-art micro telemetry systems that can manage all utilities
remotely, including electricity, gas and water.
In 2010, the company developed the new SIGg, an advanced
low-cost energy management system; ideal for the commercial,
industrial and residential sectors.
The system has already been put through its paces by the
Ramada Hotel in Coventry, which has boasted significant
savings of £32 per day by simply installing SIGg.
After working with the panel of experts for four years and reaping
the benefits of the Gateway programme, as well as financial
support, the company is now on the brink of launching this low
cost, innovative technology on a global scale.
Power to the people
Sean Elliott, commercial director at Smart Innovations, said:
“Taking our new product to the Gateway panel was absolutely
vital for us at the beginning of our journey with SIGg.
“Made up of professionals, the panel members have a vast
knowledge of product development, and it was very interesting
at the initial stages to see whether our product was viable.
“They showed a genuine interest in SIGg and this gave us the
motivation and confidence that our idea was worth taking
forward.
“Although the financial help provided was beneficial, I really
do believe it was the feedback of the panel that really added
value to our product’s development.”
The Gateway programme ensured that Smart Innovations was
given support and guidance, from initial concepts through to
manufacturing and marketing, and they were able to develop
the product in a relatively short amount of time.
Sean added: “We’re incredibly proud of our achievements so far
and are now looking at doing a post-launch assessment with the
panel with a view to developing a strategy for future products.”
Gateway to New Product Development
With 225 years’ experience in the equestrian market, horse grooming experts Vale Brothers are leaders in their field when it comes to horse accessories. Manufacturing a range of grooming brushes, whips, saddles and horse rugs, the Walsall-based business is the largest horse brush manufacturing company in the world.
Galloping ahead with pioneering technology
However, when a joint venture with Coventry University led to
a ground-breaking new grooming brush with medical qualities,
they needed a little extra help to launch the product to market.
The brush, called KBF 99 (Kills Bacteria and Fungus 99 per cent
of the time), has just been unveiled to consumer and trade
markets, and with the support of the Gateway to NPD, it is
proving a resounding success.
Peter Wilkes, managing director at Vale Brothers, explains the
technology: “Our KBF 99 brush uses patented technology, which
kills bacteria and fungus microbes found in the horse’s living
environment, to help prevent the spread of fatal diseases such
as strangles and skin infections like mud fever and ringworm.
“Our patented system allows polymer additives to be inserted
into the plastic bristles of the brush enabling a layer of tiny
spikes to form on each bristle which break the surface of
a microbe, including bacteria.”
The brush has been through several stages of vigorous testing
at the University of Coventry, and with the help of the Gateway
programme, Peter was introduced to a local product designer.
Peter added: “We knew we’d created an innovative new
technology that would be extremely important to the equestrian
world, but we needed the expertise of the Gateway programme
when it came to the design and price-point of the new product.
“Introducing us to the right product designer, who was able
to realise the potential of the technology and create an
ergonomically slick and visually appealing grooming brush, was
vital to the success of our product and we relied on the panel’s
contacts to enable us to do this.”
Peter also advocates the use of the diagnostic chart created
for this Gateway programme which had guided his business
through the process of development and market acceptance
research.
He said: “It allows us to cover all key aspects of the NPD process
in a logical and effective way, giving structure to enable us
to stay focused. It really was a vital tool for our business and
encouraged us to ask questions that you don’t necessarily want
to ask yourself.
“We’re extremely proud of KBF 99. We could not have taken this
product to market without the valuable advice and support we
have been given from the NPD programme.”
Vale BrothersCase Study
“ We knew we’d created an innovative new technology that
would be extremely important to the equestrian world, but
needed the expertise of the Gateway programme when it came
to the design and price-point of the new product.”
Peter Wilkes
Gateway to New Product Development Gateway to New Product Development18 19
Commercialisation
GrillstreamCase Study
“ They make sure you are on the right track and the panel can
give you a real sanity check and make valuable suggestions
before you take your next step.”
Peter Neath
Gateway to New Product Development20 21
The inventors of the Grillstream have worked closely with the Gateway to NPD for more than five years as they not only convert households to a new way of barbecuing and grilling but now the commercial world as well. Grillstream Technology is a patented system of open bar grilling and cooking that stops fats or oil dripping onto the heat which can cause smoke and flames to flare up. All the fat is streamed away and collected in a separate compartment which can be easily cleaned after cooking.
When the company launched Grillstream, which is manufactured
in China and the West Midlands, it was known for appearing on
the BBC’s Dragons’ Den. Despite being rejected, it has built up
a successful business linking up with LeisureGrow, John Lewis,
Homebase and Tesco.
The company is now using the support of Gateway to launch
a new product into the world of commercial cooking, which it
says will not only save time but will cut gas bills and reduce the
amount of smoke created in a restaurant or commercial kitchen.
Recipe for success
Peter Neath, spokesman for Grillstream Technology, said:
“We have greatly valued the help of Gateway to NPD throughout
the entire process of launching Grillstream, and especially now
as we move into the competitive commercial market.
“You learn as you go along and there is a lot of hand holding
involved but this can be a relationship throughout the life of
your business. They can give you such a lot of advice from
making a prototype, to getting a patent, intellectual property
rights, funding avenues and helping you network to find the
right supplier for you.
“Gateway is one of the few programmes where they really
work to understand your company and what you are doing.
You are given your own advisor, in our case Roy Pulley, who
over the years has become a valued friend as much as a means
of support.
“They make sure you are on the right track and the panel can
give you a real sanity check and make valuable suggestions
before you take your next step.
“With Gateway, if you do not know something they will know
somebody who does and they are a great conduit for referrals
and I would say to any company launching a new product –
do not do it on your own; get great help and advice from
a programme such as Gateway.”
Testing and validation
Gateway to New Product Development
Gateway to New Product Development Gateway to New Product Development22 23
A G InstrumentsCase Study
It’s a gas, gas, gas
When the opportunity arose for Dr Hany Agaiby to take voluntary redundancy it was just what he needed to take the plunge and form his own business creating portable gas monitors. But whilst his dream of running his own company was about to come true, it was also a daunting decision to plough his redundancy money into the project as failure was not an option with his family savings also on the line.
Dr Agaiby had 23 years’ experience designing products and
had worked for a leading company for more than 10 years.
However, he had always thought of developing his own product
and had carried out market research and testing at home.
When he decided to take voluntary redundancy, the time
seemed right to launch his own portable gas monitor.
Dr Agaiby quickly realised that expert support from
a programme such as Gateway to NPD would help guide him
through the process of creating firm foundations for his new
business, A G Instruments, whilst also providing avenues
for extra funding.
He said: “I saw a gap in the market and developed a range
of high-end gas analysers designed to be easily customised
for a large number of applications including industrial, medical,
refrigeration, waste, emissions monitoring, environmental
monitoring and others.
“Typically, up to 15 gases are measured simultaneously using
infra-red absorption technology out of a library of more than
430 gases.
“However, whilst I had every confidence in my product,
I was aware that I had never run a business before as I have
always been a technical person. With my savings on the line,
I could not afford to make a mistake.
“I received incredible support to take my idea to the market
through the Gateway to NPD, which also helped with funding
and finding suppliers, and I went to them several times.
I had a pot of money, but if I did not have 100% of the product
by the end of it, I would have been in trouble.
“It can be a lonely place developing a product as an
entrepreneur. It is difficult for people to appreciate the pressures
and difficulties launching a new product – the technical and
commercial risks with limited resources and limited time.
“It is very challenging and I greatly valued the support of the
Gateway programme throughout this process as we were able to
tap into the experience of the panel, and people like Roy Pulley.
It gave us a bit of a safety net with someone to bounce ideas off.
There is no reason not to use the Gateway programme and the
vast experience that it available to you. It is a no-brainer.”
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Opening your mind to success
It’s not just your company that needs to grow in order for you to succeed – you too will go on a journey through four stages of learning.
Unconscious Incompetence“I don’t actually know what it is I don’t know”
Conscious incompetence “I now realise what I don’t know so it’s time for action”
Conscious Competence “Great! I can now use my newly-acquired knowledge and put it to good use”
Unconscious competence“I am becoming a bit of an expert because this really is second nature now!”
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Commercialisation
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T +44 (0) 1902 838321
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