Valley of Death
By Mark Norfolk on Saturday, February 13th, 2010
As a project manager in EWI’s advanced energy group, I work with a wide variety of burgeoning advanced energy companies. The thread that I have noticed in common with all of my clients is that they are all trying to hit it big with their unique new technology. Historically the transition from laboratory prototypes to initial production for early adopters to full production has taken several years. This gap between lab prototypes and full bore manufacturing is often referred to as the “Valley of Death.” Here at EWI, we help our clients cross this valley to help transform award-winning technology into a job creating business.
A key step, where I work, is to develop and implement manufacturing technology to enable production at a price point the market will bear, and thus cross the “Valley of Death.” Given the economic realities facing my clients in this difficult business environment, finding ways to accelerate the transition can make the difference between success and failure.
