Government Services Business Plan

The initial funding from the four member institutions will provide the foundation for launching ASTI.  Its survival will depend on the program’s ability to grow a membership base to its Technology Development Council.  The program will not survive if it is unable to meet its goal of increasing membership in the Council by 20% each year.

ASTI’s information products and services will add real value to the companies search for emerging technology.  As stated before, our most important group of potential customers are the researchers in these companies.  Their input into the kind of services they want will be critical to the evolution of ASTI. Our focus will be to add value in everything connected with ASTI.

5.1 Competitive Edge

ASTI’s competitive advantage is their comprehensive approach to providing unequalled access to researchers. ASTI’s focus is to support the companies in their successful pursuit of emerging technologies. The most critical component is the responsiveness of the program to company inquiries into selected research areas.

The best scenario is the company responding to research highlights provided by ASTI before initial inquires are made.  ASTI will strive to open doors for companies so that long-term relationships will develop and companies will become members of the Technology Development Council. 

The approach is decidedly sales-oriented in focus.  This is a critical advantage when in competition with universities in SouthernState and NorthernState.  Companies will find State research viable and easy to access.

Yet the key to ASTI’s success will be in how the program evolves in response to companies demands.  ASTI’s Technology Development Council was a vehicle for that evolution.  The Council will provide companies with the access to fine-tune services to improve the program’s ability to meet industry demands.

5.2 Marketing Strategy

ASTI’s marketing strategy will be to build the Technology Development Council as a base of support for technology transfer.  The plan is to use existing members of the Council as lead contact for other companies.  The best description of the strategy is the ever-widening ripples when a stone is thrown in a pond.  The first step is to capture all the companies the are currently quite aware of the excellent researchers at the four member institutions. From that base, begin to recruit new companies that current members will invite into the Council.

Though it is possible that fresh contacts to ASTI, from inquiries about technology highlighted in promotional material, can lead to companies joining the Council, it will be the membership of the Council that will drive the success of the program.

5.3 Fundraising Strategy

The fund raising strategy will be the payment of annual membership fees in the Technology Development Council.  A full membership will be $3,000 a year.  An associate membership will be $1,000.

5.3.1 Funding Forecast

During the first year, ASTI will recruit 20 full members and 21 associate members to the Technology Development Council.

5.4 Milestones

ASTI’s milestones are as follows:

1. Within the first six months of operation to assemble the Technology Development Council membership.
2. Publish the first ASTI monthly newsletter in December.
3. Stage high tech conferences in AnyCity during the month of March and September in 2002.
4. Achieve two new industry sponsored research agreements with researchers at the member institutions during the first year of operation.