Nathan McNally

When you or your organisation finds common ground there is a synergy in goals. This makes it much easier to communicate mission, goals and plan of action as perspective on the problem and means to solving them will align. For example an education scheme partnering with an education organisation that understands the journey of supporting individuals, communities or populations on education and ups killing needs. The right point of contact is well identified, the proposal aligns with the mission and the values of improving education from the government agency as well as the other organisation.

Understanding the goals of government agencies is an important first step. Evaluate if you or your organisation can support and hit the targets being proposed. Depending on your existing communication you can share the wider vision and long term plan of the proposal but you need to ensure you are hitting the short term targets foremost as these will be what the initial focus and activity is constrained too. The longer term vision can lead into the future plans and projects which can be presented at a later date showcasing the initial scope of works success.

Rapport and trust is huge in building successful partnerships with government agencies. It comes down to track record and doesn't happen over night. These agencies are risk adverse if they havent been given a direct remit to be. They will have strict outputs to be met and processes to be followed to achieve and record those. Either showing your track record by your existing business in showing reliability in delivering or start with smaller contracts which allow for more risk adverse procurement possibly with less competition.

To fund and reward innovation can be done in many ways. In the early days it is the life blood of the innovation but as you grow R&D can be replicated by similar R&D heavy institutions or corporates such as a university or Pharma company structure. Create an R&D devision that looks to develop on top of the existing technology or the capability benefit of collaborating with another existing startup for mutual benefit both validating your technology and providing extra functionality, insight or capabilities to your existing service or product and in some instances creating a whole new product through the collaboration. This can show benefit as a new product, license opportunities, new distribution channels or a new customer base.

Through my experience multi disciplinary teams and teams from diverse backgrounds bring their own perspective see problems that others don't due to lived experience or direct problems with family members or their communities that others havent had the exposure too. This exposure brings light new problems and new solutions. I have seen teams work together for 3 months and come up with several solutions. Biotech in the early days is all about exploration and experimentation but as you grow the key is to maintain that culture.