Zero to £22m in Licensing Revenue | Tony Cochrane’s Ceres Power Journey
Podcast Episode Description:
Lab to Market Leadership presents an unmissable episode for Deep Tech entrepreneurs tackling the complexities of IP commercialisation and licensing. Generating revenue from the licensing of intellectual property (IP) sounds great in principle but is notoriously difficult to execute - especially for startups.
In this episode, Chris Reichhelm interviews Tony Cochrane, Chief Commercial Officer at Ceres Power PLC, the UK-based fuel cell company. Tony shares how he and his team grew from £0 to £22 million in licensing and services revenue. He details the pivotal decisions that shaped Ceres Power’s success, from redefining their business model after early setbacks to securing partnerships with global industrial giants like Bosch.
Tony explains the critical steps in developing a licensing business model that not only scales but builds trust and aligns with long-term goals. He emphasises the importance of managing value chains, aligning technology readiness with manufacturing capabilities, and embedding rigorous processes early to ensure credibility with partners.
This episode dives into the reality of risk mitigation, securing early adopters, and creating a future-proof framework for licensing and technology partnerships. If you’re navigating the challenges of IP commercialisation or scaling a tech company, this conversation offers invaluable insights.
Key Topics:
The journey from zero to £22 million in licensing revenue.
Developing a scalable and future-proof licensing business model.
Lessons learned from early setbacks and missteps in IP commercialisation.
Aligning technology readiness levels (TRL) with manufacturing scalability.
Building trust and managing risk in technology partnerships.
Creating equitable value distribution across the value chain.
Insights into scaling fuel cell companies in the UK.
Chapter Notes:
00:00 - Introduction to Tony Cochrane and Ceres Power: Licensing revenue and commercialisation challenges.
05:00 - Early setbacks: Redefining the business model and focusing on scalability.
10:00 - Crafting a licensing framework: Balancing short-term needs with long-term goals.
15:00 - Managing the whole value chain: Ensuring success for all participants.
20:00 - Technology readiness levels (TRL) and manufacturing: Aligning for scalability and risk mitigation.
28:00 - Securing early adopters: Lessons from partnering with Bosch and other industrial leaders.
35:00 - Embedding rigorous processes early: Building credibility with technology partnerships.
42:00 - Final reflections: Aligning IP commercialisation with business-wide goals.
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Additionally, learn about our work with Chief Commercial Officers.
