Writing Successful H2020 Proposals’ Workshop:

Business Plan Methodology, Business Model Canvas Workshop and the Key Concepts of Impact and Exploitation

Business Plan vs. Lean Startup Methodologies for Business Modeling

There is at present an ongoing argument regarding the utility or obsolescence of the two

main methodologies to design, describe and explain a particular business model or, in

other words, a roadmap to establishing a business. The two approaches are: 1) the

traditional writing of a Business Plan; and 2) the use of the Business Model Canvas and

its related tools like visual thinking, prototyping or product-market fit.

Contents of the Workshop

1. Business plan, basic elements of a business plan and how they interact. Business

Plan Writing vs Agile Methodologies.

2. Expected impacts, exploitation of results and market potential. The quantification

of the concept innovation and business “ambition”. How to write investment grade

proposals.

3. Intellectual Property Management and its reflection on the business model:

a. Licensing

b. "Startups" vs "Spinoffs"

c. Strategic agreements

4. The "business model canvas" and the "value proposition design" approaches.

5. Financial projections and funding requirements. The importance of "cash flow"

and presentation shortcuts.

6. Developing an implementation plan and assigning priorities. Deployment of a

technology project (Gantt chart); and agile methodologies approach: the road to

market by using an iterative process.

  

 

Methodology

• Review of the state of the art in the designing and development of a business plan and

its application to making H2020 proposals.

• Activities that include the use of the "Business Model Canvas" and related

tools/methodologies, within the Lean Startup context.

• Practical workshop and review of real case studies provided by the attendees.

• Active involvement of all participants to guarantee the resolution of doubts and the deep

comprehension of main concepts.

Designing of a profitable and sustainable business model

The main use of a business plan is its ability to describe how to put together a business

enterprise, and which are the elements of that particular business project. Additionally,

the preparation and writing of a business plan forces us to evaluate each area for the

system to function efficiently, profitably and sustainably.

The Lean Startup methodology provides new ways to design a business fulfilling the

relevant aspects of making it profitable and sustainable. For many entrepreneurs who

have no need to work on a detailed explanation of their business to others, the Business

Model Canvas is an effective way to design business structures, focusing only on the

essential. Ultimately the two approaches are not mutually exclusive, but clearly

complementary.

What a business plan should include according to the European Commission

- Exploitable results and key applications

- Description of the IPR and exploitation team

  

 

- Market potential areas

- Business model: identification of main clients, marketing strategy

- Financial projections

- Commercialization roadmaps

Programme

1. Introduction: overview of material and presentations 9:30 – 10:00

2. Business Plan Writing vs Agile Methodologies. 10:00 - 11:00

Coffee break

3. Intellectual Property Management 11:30 12:00

4. Deployment of a technology project (Gantt chart); 12:00 12:30

5. Financial projections and funding: "cash flow" 12:30 – 13.00

6. The "business model canvas" practical workshop. 13.00-14.30

Lunch Break

7. Expected impacts, exploitation of results and market potential. 15:30 17:00

8. Review of key concepts and conclusions 17:00 -17:30

Workshop trainers

The workshop will be taught by Lucia Iñigo Paarmann and Javier Criado Nesofsky.

  

 

Lucia Iñigo Paarmann works currently at the Centre of Industrial Technological

Development (CDTI) of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness as

Spanish Representative in the NMBP Management Programme Committee of the

Leadership in Enabling and Industrial Technologies Pilar of Horizon 2020. She has

experience in European RTDI programmes and policies since Framework Programme

6, including participants training. She holds a MSc. Civil Engineer and has held previous

positions as researcher and RTDI projects manager in a private company linked to

geothecnics, processes and materials research.

Javier Criado Nesofsky has over 20 years of experience in highly practical training

seminars and workshops. Mr. Nesofsky has extensive experience as a manager and as

an investment professional, and has reviewed hundreds of business plans over the

years. He is an official EU “innovation business coach” for the SME Instrument of H2020.

He is well knowledgeable of “Lean Startup” tools such as the “Business Model Canvas”

that he uses intensively as a mentor in the Startup Next powered by Google pre-

accelerator program. He holds an economics degree and an MBA from Kellogg Graduate

School of Management in Chicago.