1. BlynkB
“Angie‟s List for technology products”
Customers (Enterprises): 87
Survey Respondents: 48

2. The beginning of BlynkB

3. Our Initial Team
Team Advisors
Sunil Sharma Cindy Alvarez
Program Manager at EMC Sales Director, User Experience, Yammer
EWMBA ‘12 - Haas School of Business
Shubhada Hebbar
Russ Holdstein
Product Manager at Lab126 (Amazon)
Angel Investor
EWMBA ‘12- Haas School of Business
Tony Chang
MS EECS
Jimmy Da
MS EECS

4. Week 0: Problem Statement
“Yelp for Enterprises”
Enterprises spend a lot of time trying to
find right vendors, often unsuccessfully

5. Introducing : BlynkB
A unified platform that links enterprises and
vendors together to meet specific business needs
Enterprises Vendors
Find right partners for New channel to source
business needs deals & build a brand

6. We vetted our idea against a
diverse group of customers

7. Customers interviewed
Large
companies Small
Mid sized companies
companies

8. Week 0 - Our initial idea:
„Yelp for Enterprises‟
Large Large
Enterprises Vendors
(LE) (LV)
BlynkB
Medium Medium
Enterprises Vendors Vendors
Enterprises
(ME) (MV)
Small Small
Enterprises Vendors
(SE) (SV)
NO
YES
TBD

9. Business model Canvas (Week 0)
9
Enterprises to publish
their requirements
Reduce the amount of
time it takes to find the Vendors and
Enterprises to rate right product partner enterprises seek to
Enterprises who wish vendors establish a long term
to find vendors (system Easily find the true relationship
integrators and Vendors post their capabilities of vendors
software products) and services Reduces ambiguity in Large & SMB
publish requirements comparing vendor Vendors
quotes
Vendors (system Makes it easier to Large & SMB
integrators and publicize key offerings Enterprises
software product
companies) who will Enterprises Email/Web
respond to the Social Media
requirements Vendors looking for Cold calls
new avenues to sell Existing procurement
their products and sales relationships
Amazon cloud service Affiliate business model
Subscription fee based business model for
Customer Acquisition Cost vendors
Marketing team to sign up enterprises and vendors Free service

10. Week 1 – Small Vendors (SVs) were
excited about the platform…
NO
Large Large YES
Enterprises Vendors TBD
(LE) BlynkB (LV)
Medium Medium
Enterprises Vendors
(ME) (MV)
Small Small Small Vendors are excited about:
• building brand equity
Enterprises Vendors • generating leads
(SE) (SV) • willing to pay up to 25% affiliate fee

11. Business model Canvas (Week 1)
Helps shorten the time
it takes to find the right Vendors and
Build and maintain
platform product partner enterprises seek to
Enterprises who wish establish a long term
to find vendors (system Promote platform to new Helps find the true relationship
integrators and companies capabilities of a vendor
software products) and
Reduces ambiguity in Large & SMB
publish requirements comparing vendor Vendors
quotes
Vendors (system Makes it easier to Large & SMB
integrators and publicize key offerings Enterprises
software product
companies) who will Enterprises Email/Web
Creates new channels
respond to the to sell products to Social Media
requirements Vendors looking for Cold calls
larger enterprises
new avenues to sell since Gartner doesn’t Existing procurement
their products include small and sales relationships
companies in its list
Amazon cloud service Affiliate business model
Subscription fee based business model for
Customer Acquisition Cost
vendors
Staff needed to build a customer base including
enterprises, product companies and SIs
Free service

12. Week 2 - LVs are not our customers
but SVs are…
Large • Have pre-established sales &
Large
distribution channels
Enterprises Vendors
• Have visibility and brand awareness
(LE) (LV) • Obtain leads directly from enterprises
BlynkB
Medium Medium
Enterprises Vendors
(ME) (MV)
Small Small
Enterprises Vendors
(SE) (SV) NO
YES
TBD

13. Business model Canvas (Week 2)
• Enterprises
provide feedback • Long term
and post • Lack of feedback relationships
requirements on vendors SMEs
• Vendors post key • Time spent to
offerings find vendors
• Partners are SMB Vendors
• Lack confidence
enterprises
in chosen vendor
Large Enterprises
• Suppliers are
X
Website
SMB vendors Finding new ways Mobile App Large Vendors
• Enterprises, who to sell Blogs
rate Email Marketing
products/services Increased visibility Cold Calls
• SMB vendors  Increased
looking for new revenue Conferences
ways to sell Procurement
• AWS (Amazon cloud)
• Customer Acquisition Cost • % Cut from the vendors, on deal closing
• Engineering • Subscription fee for vendors
• Free for enterprises

14. Week 3 – Large companies are not
our customers
• Pre-approved list of preferred vendors Large
Large
• Company policies and legal regulations
Enterprises Vendors
• Only trust sources such as Gartner
• Difficult to add new vendors (LE) (LV)
BlynkB
Medium Medium
Enterprises Vendors
(ME) (MV)
Small Small
Enterprises Vendors
NO (SE) (SV)
YES
TBD

15. Business Model Canvas (Week 3)
• Self Service
• Platform • Lack of real • Automated services
Management feedback on
• Communities SMB Enterprises
• Platform vendors
• SMB Vendors Promotion • Time spent to • Co-creation SMB Vendors
– Niche find vendors
• Lack confidence
X
content
(product in chosen vendor
details) • Finding the right Large Enterprises
partner for a • Website
providers • Mobile App
business need
• Blogs
• SMEs – User • Email Marketing
• Platform • Increased
generated • Cold Calls
• Customer DB visibility 
content
(reviews)
(IP) Increased • Procurement * Int’l and Local
revenue
• New ways to sell
• AWS (Amazon cloud) • % Cut from the vendors, on deal closing
• Customer Acquisition • Subscription fee for vendors and
Cost enterprises
• Engineering • Fixed amount / deal for vendors
• Free for enterprises

16. Week 4: Only Small Businesses
are our customers
MEs are not our Customers either!
Large Large
Enterprises Vendors
(LE) (LV)
BlynkB
• Will not use our product Medium Medium • Will not use our
for reasons similar to product for reasons
those for large Enterprises Vendors similar to those for
enterprises (ME) (MV) large vendors
• Willing to write reviews Small Small
• No regulations
• Limited time and Enterprises Vendors
budget (SE) (SV) NO
YES
Very Small TAM!! TBD

17. Survey Results –
SEs: Willingness to write reviews
28% 34%
10%
28%

18. Research so far shows –
Small Companies will use our platform
Small Enterprises Small Vendors

19. Business Model Canvas (Week 4)
X
• SMB Vendors Platform: • Self Service
• Medium Vendors • Management • Automated service Small Startups***
• Promotion Finding the right • Communities (5-15 employees)
• SMEs User business partners • Co-creation
X
generated content
(reviews)
for tech. product
needs
Startup Vendors***
(2-5 year old)
X
• Startup Vendors
Medium sized
– (Product owners) Increased visibility
• Website businesses
 revenue
• Startups – • Platform • Mobile App
(Generate content • Customer DB (IP) • Blogs
- reviews) • Email Marketing *** International
• Cold Calls & Local
• Google Search
• Subscription fee
• AWS (Amazon cloud)
• Fixed amount / deal for vendors
• Customer Acquisition Cost
• Engineering
X
• % Cut from the vendors, on deal closing
• Free for enterprises

20. Week 4: We lost our engineers
Team Advisors
Sunil Sharma Cindy Alvarez
Program Manager at EMC Sales Director, User Experience, Yammer
EWMBA ‘12 - Haas School of Business
Shubhada Hebbar
Russ Holdstein
Product Manager at Lab126 (Amazon)
Angel Investor
EWMBA ‘12- Haas School of Business
Tony Chang
MS EECS
Jimmy Da
MS EECS

21. Weeks 1-4: Key learning
Large & Medium Companies
• Have enough brand recognition already
• Only trust Gartner and Forrester
• Have policies against public feedback and endorsing
• Pre-established sales & distribution channels
Customer Quotes:
• “I don‟t see any pain in deciding on vendors”
• “Don‟t want to publicly claim that one vendor is better than
other”
• “Not willing to pay a dime unless you can prove value”
• “Side by side vendor comparison of vendors, including
customer reference „can‟ be very valuable”

22. Weeks 1-4: Key learning
Small Companies
• Need brand recognition and sales channels
• Limited time and budget for software apps
• Willing to try new technology but low WTP
• No rules and regulations and comfortable writing reviews
Customer Quotes:
• “Would totally use it...sounds like a great idea. Looking to
compare vendors all the time”
• “Would love it as it will help in building further awareness”
• “No one good source to find reviews on all products in a
category”

23. Week 5: PIVOT! - Introducing - BlynkB VRM
(Vendor Relationship Management)
Problem:
Most enterprises have a large list of vendors, but no
processes to manage that list
Solution:
An internal SaaS based Vendor Relationship Mgmt.
platform for enterprises

24. Week 5: Users of BlynkB VRM
BlynkB VRM
NO
YES
TBD

25. Business Model Canvas (Week 5)
Platform: • Finding the right
• Self Service
• Management business partners
• Automated service Small Startups***
• Promotion for technology
• Communities (5-50 employees)
• Manage Ads Product needs
• Co-creation
• Startup Vendors • Reduce time spent
Startup Vendors***
– (Product owners) searching for tech
(2-5 year old)
products
• Startups –
(Generate content
- reviews) • Website Large & Medium
Increased visibility
• Platform  revenue • Mobile App sized companies
• Customer DB (IP) • Blogs
• Email Marketing
• Helps manage
• Cold Calls *** International
long list of vendors
• Google Search & Local
• Subscription fee
• AWS (Amazon cloud) • Fixed amount/deal for
• Customer Acquisition Cost vendors
• Engineering • Advertising revenue: Category specific ads

26. Week 6: Users of BlynkB VRM
Purchasing
Manager BU Manager
- Hate working with
- Maintain vendors
Procurement
list
BlynkB VRM
HR Manager IT Manager
- Vendor spending - Research Vendors
NO
YES
TBD

27. Business Model Canvas (Week 6)
11 16
18 Platform:
• Development / • Self Service
• Startup Vendors – Customization • Ability to quickly • Automated service
Startups***
(Product owners) • Review find the right • Communities (15-50 employees)
Management business partners
• Startups –
• Promotion • Personal Assistance
21
(Generate content -
• Manage Ads 12 • Increased visibility Startup Vendors***
reviews) • Co-creation
• Licensing  revenue (2-5 year old)
• Easier vendor Large & Medium
• Large & Medium management and
Co.– BU Managers
sized companies –
discovery of right
BU managers, HR,
vendors • Website
• Platform • Blogs
5 IT/ Procurement
• Details of spending
• Customer DB (IP) on external vendor
• Sales force
6
• Time savings in
4 on-boarding new • Partners 8 *** Int’l & Local
5 • Cold Calls
vendors 8 • Prof. Services
0 • Subscription fee 22
• AWS (Amazon cloud) • Fixed amount/deal for vendors
• Customer Acquisition Cost • Advertising revenue
• Engineering
• License Fees 6

28. Week 7: Users of BlynkB VRM
HR Managers are not our Customers! NO
YES
TBD
Purchasing BU Manager
Manager
- Hate working with
- Maintain vendors Procurement
list
BlynkB EE
HR Manager IT Manager
- Use ERP to calculate - Research Vendors
vendor spending

29. Business Model Canvas (Week 7)
29
18 Platform: 15 20
• Development /
• Quickly find the • Self Service
Customization Startups***
• Startup Vendors – • Review
right vendors • Automated service
(Product owners) • Communities (15-50 employees)
Management
• Startups – • Increased visibility 21
• Promotion • Personal Assistance
 revenue
(Generate content - • Manage Ads 12 Startup Vendors***
reviews) • Licensing • Co-creation
• Don’t have to deal (2-5 year old)
with Purchasing
• Open info. sharing BU Managers, HR
• Large & Medium
between BUs and Procurement Dept.
Purchasing Large & Medium
Co.– BU Managers • Website
• Platform • Details of spending
• Blogs
5 sized companies
on external vendor
• Customer DB (IP)
• Easier on-boarding • Sales force 10
7 of new vendors • Partners 8
5 10 • Cold Calls
• Prof. Services *** Int’l & Local
0 • Subscription fee 22
• AWS (Amazon cloud) • Fixed amount/deal for vendors
• Customer Acquisition Cost • Advertising revenue
• Engineering
• License Fees 10

30. Business Model Canvas (Week 8) – BlynkB VRM
8 9
Platform: 12
• Development /
Customization
• Review • Quickly find the Large & Medium
Management right vendors • Personal sized companies
• Large & Medium • Promotion • Find true potential Assistance
Co.– BU Managers • Manage Ads of vendors • Co-creation BU Managers
• Don’t have to deal
• Licensing
with Purchasing
• Open info. sharing Large & Medium
7 between BUs and sized companies
Purchasing Procurement/IT
• Easier on- • Sales force Dept.
• Platform boarding of new • Partners
• Large & Medium • Customer DB (IP) vendors • Cold Calls
Co.– Procurement • Prof. Services 10
5 8
10
• AWS (Amazon cloud)
3
• Customer Acquisition Cost • License Fees 10
• Engineering
• Legal
• Accounting

31. Business Model Canvas (Week 8) – BlynkB Reviews Platform
Platform: 23 22
• Development
• Self Service Startups***
• Startup Vendors – • Review • Quickly find the • Automated service
(Product owners) Management 12 (15-50 employees)
right vendors • Communities
• Startups – • Promotion • Find true potential • Co-creation of 33
(Generate content - • Manage Ads and of vendors reviews
reviews) placement
Startup Vendors***
18 (2-5 year old)
• Increased visibility
 revenue
• Website
• Platform
• Customer DB (IP)
• Blogs 5
• Ads
5
*** Int’l & Local
3 • Advertising revenue
• AWS (Amazon cloud)
• Customer Acquisition Cost 22
• Engineering
• Legal • Subscription fee
• Accounting

32. Decision Flow Diagram
Internal Vendor Management Platform
Management
(Decision Maker)
Procurement/IT/CIO
(Buyer)
IT Managers
(Recommender)
BU Managers
(Influencer)
BU Managers
(User)

33. Approval Process Flow
Looking for a IT Manager
new Vendor (Researches Vendors)
IT Researches &
Manages on Vendors Office of the CIO
(Approves PO from
Vendors)
BU Manager
(Has vendor
needs) Submits PO for
Approval
Connects BU with
previous vendors
Looking for a Purchasing Selected
new Vendor (Manage vendors list) Manages Vendor
Contracts

34. BlynkB EE – Manage Vendors
IT Manager
(Researches Vendors)
Review & Add
Vendors
BU Manager Find
(Fulfill vendor Vendors BlynkB VRM
needs)
Manage
Vendors
Purchasing
(Manage vendors list)

35. Large enterprises would like to use
this platform:
Improves vendor performance
Improves vendor management process
Increases bargaining power with vendors through the
centralized repository
Identifies risks before they become a costly problem

36. VRM Platform should provide:
Self vendor registration and profile management
Centralized vendor management tool over the web
Reporting tool that can generate reports on vendors
Risk management by alerting about risky vendors

37. Revenue Model
Company Size Pricing/seat/year
(License Fee)
Large
(5000+ employees)
$249
Medium
(500 – 5000 employees)
$249
Small
(100-500 employees)
$49

38. TAM: 1.1 B USD
# of Companies
Company Size Managers Total # of Managers Pricing/seat Revenue
in US
Large (5000+
2,200 600 1,320,000 $249 $328,680,000
employees)
Medium (500 – 5000
24,269 75 1,820,175 $249 $453,223,575
employees)
Small (100-500
92,386 35 3,233,510 $49 $158,441,990
employees)
Total $940,345,565
Total # of
Procurement
Company Size # of Cos Procurement Team Pricing/seat Revenue
Team Size
Members
Large (5000+
employees)
2,200 40 88,000 $249 $21,912,000
Medium (500 – 5000
employees)
24,269 15 364,035 $249 $90,644,715
Small (100-500
employees)
92,386 2 184,772 $49 $9,053,828
Total $121,610,543
Source: http://www.census.gov/econ/

39. Wireframes - BlynkB

40. Wireframes – BlynkB EE

41. Next steps
Hire engineers and build the prototype
Validate the idea with more customers
Identify the sales channels to sell to
enterprises

42. Questions