R&D, Engineering and Manufacturing Companies

• In many cases, do not have the necessary technical talent “in house,” or the staff is occupied with other programs; or
• Their CTO is concerned about internal security and wants to allocate the program externally; or
• A technology expert wants to augment the current thinking of his technology group; or
• Management is seeking any and all technologies to purchase in order to build a wall around an existing patent; or
• An alternative technology is required to legally circumvent a competitor’s patent.

Service Companies

• Sometimes view performance problems as “engineering” matters and then budget for them in that manner. (As long as these matters are not urgent, companies will do their best to work around them. However, when they do become “urgent,” they are dealt with like “fires” that must be put out.)
• Interact with their respective clients to identify potential new products or services that existing vendors cannot or do not wish to develop due to funding or expertise issues (e.g., Manufacturing would not be a problem if they had access to a complete design), or
• Disagree with their vendors on matters of product performance requirements and, as a result, look for alternatives.