At the StartUp Maine conference in June 2019, I presented about how startups can work with traditional industries (fishing, farming, forestry) to deploy new technologies, find better ways to meet existing challenges, and develop solutions that benefit all parties.
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Start up Maine - kingsley 6.2019
1. Developing Technology to Serve
Traditional Industries
StartUp Maine - June 2019
Eric Kingsley
Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLC
kingsley@inrsllc.com
Phone 207-233-9910
2. Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLC
• Founded in 1994
• Offices in New Hampshire and Maine
• Focused at the intersection of forest industry, energy and
economic development
• Services include:
- consulting in renewable energy
- advocacy
- forest management and protection
- forest certification and sustainability
• Clients from the private, non-profit and government sectors
• Conducted work in all regions of North America
• www.inrsllc.com
2
4. Probably a lot like many other
industries, but there are some
things to be aware of…
5. Manufacturing / Processing
• Fixed location
• A sawmill
• Food processing
• Very likely to be technology
innovators / adopters
• Rarely early adopters
• Employing technology and
automation to improve
efficiency
Supply Chain
• From the resource to the market
• A logger
• A fishing boat
• Often mobile
• Smaller companies
• Likely to use expensive and
technology – heavy equipment
• Unlikely to be utilizing
information technology to its
potential
6. Example of a Supply Chain (forestry)
• Landowner
• In some parts of the country, a contract planting crew
• Forester (professionally trained, managing the timberland)
• Logger (logging crew)
• Trucker
• Mills
• Sawlogs
• Pulpwood
• Chips
• Each part of the supply chain has unique needs and opportunities
7. Companies – in a gross over-generalization
• Smaller companies
• From solo to +/-25 is typical
• B2B
• Significant capital investment
• Education obtained via operation, some school
• Little time to search for solutions
• Rely upon trusted advisors to identify opportunities (trade
associations, accountants, bankers, equipment dealers, etc.)
• Limited information technology – UI / UX is critical
8. Where Are There Opportunities?
• Tracking from resource to market
• This is becoming important for market-based label claims and certification
• Trucking dispatch / coordination
• Productivity
• Monitoring
• Measurement
• Safety
• Compliance
• Training
• Others?
9. Some Things to Consider
• Cell coverage is not a given – no mater what the maps show
you, there are lots of places where cell coverage does not
exist
• There are opportunities to transfer technology from adjacent
industries
• In many instances, traditional industries are not the logical first-
use case, but likely some technologies can be customized and re-
purposed
• These are often commodity businesses
• Low margin operations are common
• Efficiency is frequently the key to success
10. Customer Discovery
• Trade associations are a great place to start – they represent the
entities you are looking to connect with
• Trade associations are not actually in the business you want to
connect with – they are a resource, but not the market
• Spend time seeing what tasks actually occur
• Spend time in the field, if possible
• Wireframes, mock-ups, etc. are critical – users are concrete thinkers
• Be as clear as possible, don’t use tech language
• Ask questions and listen