B2B startups want clients. Meanwhile, established businesses want to work with startups that can solve their problems in innovative ways. But all too often, the right startups don’t find the right clients, and vice versa. That’s where IntroStream comes in.
IntroStream is the brainchild of Guy Weaver, KPMG’s main man when it comes to working with the tech sector in Manchester. Through his work, he spotted a need for a platform that could match startups’ services with paying customers. Now he’s gone part-time at his dayjob to bring that platform to life.
IntroStream gives businesses the opportunity to post ‘challenges’ that startups can then pitch to solve. Weaver says the challenges will be quite open-ended, to encourage creative thinking, “The wacky idea could be the silver bullet,” he says.
For example, a company may be looking for creative ways to become less reliant on physical office space, and startups could pitch their existing products as a solution, be that flexible VoIP services, distributed networking tools or mobile productivity apps.
“Companies tend to engage consultants, and they reinvent the wheel by building things that already exist,” says Weaver. “IntroStream means they can discover existing local tech companies that might have the right solution.”
How it works
IntroStream lets businesses (whether SMEs or big corporations) publish challenges for free. If they wish to share commercially sensitive information, they can add a non-disclosure agreement. The first challenge is from financial services provider Together Money.
B2B startups can list themselves on the site’s directory for free but if they pay £100 per year they can respond to challenges, and message other premium members. Weaver says it’s priced so startups should get value even if they pitch for just three challenges in 12 months.
Weaver is keen to stress that this is just about creating initial connections to inspire collaborations between startups and established businesses. There’s no formal RFP (request for proposal) process here.
Weaver bootstrapped the product in partnership with the development team and says his employers at KPMG have been very supportive.
IntroStream will focus on Manchester businesses at first, as that’s where Weaver’s network is strongest. In time, he plans to scale it to a larger audience. He sees potential for the product to exist alongside crowdfunding platforms and sites that facilitate big innovation challenges.
If he can get the matching process spot on, IntroStream could be the start of some beautiful business relationships.
Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash.
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