Commercialisation Process

Grain Foods CRC is a research company that has as one of its key objectives the effective commercialisation of innovative grain food technologies. The management team is committed to the use of business processes that enable optimum use of resources in the achievement of commercialisation outcomes that benefit the company and its partners.

Grain Foods uses a stage-gate commercialisation process to facilitate progression of technology and market development activities to a successful commercial outcome. Activities included within this process are project selection and initiation, project and portfolio management and the development of market ready investment plans.

The basic elements of the Grain Foods Commercialisation Process are outlined in the diagram below. Deliverables are assessed at each stage by an Investment Review Committee and if the project remains viable resources are allocated to allow progression to the next stage. If not the project is reassessed or terminated.

Commercialisation Process Diagram

Stage 1: Involves an Initial Screen of the opportunity in terms of its technical and market feasibility, alignment with the Grain Foods strategy and integration within the platform structure. The key deliverable is a Preliminary Project Proposal (PPP).

Stage 2: Includes an Opportunity Assessment as to the market and commercialisation potential of the technology and its competitive advantage. The technology development program and anticipated intellectual property are outlined together with a preliminary financial analysis. The key deliverable is a Full Project Proposal (FPP).

Stage 3: The “birth certificate” for the project is the Project Research Agreement (PRA) which describes the terms upon which the project will be conducted and contributions from research and commercial partners. It is within this stage that technology and market development is conducted to reach a technological proof of concept (TPOC). Progress is documented in the Project Commercialisation Plan (PCP).

Stage 4: As soon as the technology has reached its commercial proof of concept (CPOC) it is documented in a Product Marketing Plan (PMP) and offered as a first right of refusal to Grain Foods CRC corepartners via a Technology Transfer Package (TTP). This package outlines details of the technology, its market potential and includes terms for negotiation of commercialisation rights.

Stage 5: If no Grain Foods investor wishes to take up a first right of refusal option and no alternative arrangements have been made with third parties then the product or technology is promoted externally to the market.