Tom Kosnik Professor (Consulting) Management Science and Engineering Office: Terman 402 | Phone: 650-723-2973 | Fax: 650-723-1614 Email: kosnik @ stanford.edu

Kosnik’s Criteria for Selecting Research Sites, Startup Investments, and Consulting Engagements

1. Quality of the Market Opportunity:
· Is there a latent market opportunity that could be in the hundreds of millions or billions of $?
· Is the company capable of being a market maker, given the right choice of partners in the food chain?
· Are the risks in the market capable of being managed intelligently?
· If the company comes in second or third, is there a viable exit strategy?

2. Credibility and Creativity of The People
· Have the key stakeholders in the opportunity earned my trust?
· Do the key people have the key technological, functional, and industry skills? Leadership skills?
· Do they have a sense of humor?
· Are there women or global citizens in leadership roles, or is the leadership team a “tall white boys” club?
· Do people have experience and networks in my target technology clusters? (See list in part 4 below.)

3. Strategic Fit of Opportunity with My Vision & Core Competencies
· Will the engagement serve my purpose? (Peace Corps in the Lands of the Rich & Famous on the Pacific Rim.)
· Will it distract me from my writing commitments?
· Do I believe I am the supplier/partner most qualified to help the client to do the work?
· Is the Value Proposition Credible, Relevant Unique, Durable, and Emotionally appealing (CRUDE)?
· Does the engagement fit my research portfolio? 1) Circles of Influence; 2) Global Entrepreneurial Marketing; 3) Global Sales/Customer Relationship Management; 4) Global Project Management; 5) Global Product Development; 6) Global Entrepreneurial Leadership (AKA Designing Systems that Summon the Spirit).
· Does it leverage my prior expertise and industry knowledge?
· Will the process help me to grow and develop my skills and character in target areas?

4. Strategic Fit with my Existing Web of Relationships
· Is there a potential conflict of interest, given my role as a Stanford consulting faculty member?
· Is the company a key node in the global, mobile Information, Communications, Entertainment value chain?
· Are there potential conflicts of interest with other current business relationships?
· Are there potential synergies/alliances with other firms in my network?
· Are engagement locations in my target technology clusters?
· Tier 1: Silicon Valley, Singapore, Stockholm, Sydney, Shanghai
· Tier 2: Boston, San Diego, Seattle, Taiwan Hsinchu Science Park, Tokyo/Kyoto
· Tier 3:Beijing, Lausanne, London, LA, Washington DC, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, India-IIT-Tech Cluster
· Will I work with the CEO and leaders in marketing, sales, product development, R&D, finance, HR, and/or IT?
· Do I have a trustworthy relationship and full support of investors and members of the Board of Directors?
· Will the key people complement my Global Leaders, Entrepreneurs, and Altruists Network (GLEAN)?

5. Financial Return
· Will the company pay my market rates? (Cash or equity based compensation)
· If equity compensation is involved, how certain is my financial return?
· Is Jill (my spouse, and CFO) willing to invest in this venture?
· How long must we wait before we see a financial return?

6. Philanthropic Synergy
· Will the company fund GLEAN research and global student learning initiatives?
· Will the company support BASES, NUSEA, and the Society of Women Engineers?
· Will the company support the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) and/or NUS Enterprise?
· Will the company support my other philanthropies? (Center for Women in Enterprise, Women’s Technology Cluster, Forum for Women Entrepreneurs, Jane Goodal, Starshine Foundation, Global Fund for Women)?
· Will the company support my for-profit entrepreneurs (GLEAN starving startups)?