Player Networks (Audit 3)

The figure above depicts a symmetrical, idealized situation, implying that every organization is connected somehow to every other organization. Life is messy and unsymmetrical In the REAL world, however; linkages take many forms, some stronger, some more valuable than others, and in some cases, they are non-existant.

Below is a pictorial example of some of the networks that can be formed by just one of the organizational types: startups and smaller life science companies. The arrows indicate one- or two-way benefits. Long-term, all one-way beneficial relationships turn into value for both players.

For example, funders initially benefit the small company by providing needing cash. Long-term, however, the investors expect a return on their investment. Local agencies, associations and others ultimately gain with the profitable growth of smaller companies.

Multiply these hypothetical relationships by the numbers of organizations and you can envision the thousands of links between and among players in a biocluster. Of course some links may have more impact than others; generally though, the greater the number of links, the greater the vibrancy of your biocluster community.

Players' perception of interactivity can be subjective and therefore can be misleading. Our position as "outsider" allows us to capture a realistic view of the existing links within your community and the potential for improvement -- often with little or no cost.

We gather information on the meaningful links and relationships within your biocluster through research and discussions and draw a series of relevant link diagrams like the one above, citing specific companies where pertinent. We then plot the aggregated relationships as charts for a quantitative view of the existing levels of relationships within the biocluster.

A biocluster, by definition, is local (or perhaps regional). It is part of the larger, global community, forming a mutually-beneficial, symbiotic relationship. How does your biocluster fit into the world-wide network of the life sciences?

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