The Opportunity and Engagement Process

How IXC® makes it safe for companies to talk.

With commercial sensitivity still one of the biggest barriers to truly open innovation, IXC's crucial, key benefit is its ability to create a safe environment for organizations to talk.  This is done through IXC's proprietary "Opportunity and Engagement" process.

When IXC Intermediaries® spot a potential connection they then apply a rigorous range of validation tests before presenting it to the client as part of a series of "Opportunity Briefs."  These potential collaborative opportunities might be with other existing, IXC clients or organizations in the wider, global marketplace. 

Essentially, the first "Opportunity Brief" is a simple, "permission to act" which says: "we understand that you are interested in the following and we may have found something of value to you, do you wish us to proceed?"  At this stage, the identity of the other party is not revealed.

Through a series of further steps, the explicit consent of all parties is gained before the "Opportunity Brief" proceeds to the second stage whereby the relevant parties are brought together via a "proposal to meet".  This is the point in the process at which the IXC Intermediary and client will decide if confidentiality agreements are necessary. Meetings can, of course, take place "virtually" as well as face-to-face if this is more convenient.

IXC Intermediaries usually only facilitate the first meeting, then leave the parties to pursue the connection directly once their interest to progress is confirmed.  At a client's request, however, an intermediary may assist in bringing a deal to closure.

Unique to the process is the IXC Intermediary's ability to sign third-party, confidentiality agreements which avoid any risk of IP contamination, so commonly a barrier to any company seeking to engage in research-related collaboration.