Day in the life, Mohammad Tabibi – Eurostars consortium building

In this blog, Mohammad Tabibi (Consultant Life Sciences) discusses his most recent experience in building a consortium for a Eurostars project application submitted in the September round, and how he could overcome challenges in the process and ultimately submit a successful proposal on behalf of our client.

Drafting a strategy for a strong, complimentary consortium

To begin work on our recent Eurostars project my team drafted a strategy with the main applicant with the aim of composing a strong, complementary consortium. We discussed what type of partners to look for (e.g. SMEs, academia or large companies), what their expertise would bring to the project, and the nature of the collaboration after project completion, in terms of exploitation of IP. With consideration to the project concept we had in mind and the eligibility requirements, we decided to go for a consortium of three partners.

After deciding on the number of partners for the project we began our partner search leading to the successful identification of a second partner who our client was enthusiastic to work with. However, to follow-up on our consortium building strategy, we needed a third partner – specifically a Dutch SME – to be eligible for submission. We were facing difficulties in finding a suitable third partner for the project concept we had. Our options were also limited due to a smaller geographical pool to approach partners. The deadline was approaching fast and without a suitable third partner we would not be able to submit for the agreed Eurostars deadline.

Cross-departmental collaboration: identifying a third suitable partner

As we were looking for new leads or suggestions to perhaps re-direct our approach my colleagues came right on time with the tools to help. At Catalyze we have a highly diverse group of colleagues with a wide range of skills, including expertise in sales strategies, market research and scientific research that we can leverage for our projects. Using the expertise and network of my colleagues from across our Business Development, Strategy, and Quality departments, we conducted a cross-departmental brainstorming session to identify an alternative strategy to find the ideal third partner for the project. This interdisciplinary approach was very helpful, as it allowed us to refine our project concept and broaden our search by thinking outside of the box and/or approaching potential candidates from our colleagues’ own network.

Finalizing the consortium for a successful submission

As a consequence, I was able to connect with many new potential partners and I used my past experience in successful Eurostars applications to eventually select the best partner for the application, in consultation with the main applicant. My team and I were very pleased with the collaborative process we went through in order to come up with a speedy solution to the issue. The support was instrumental in the success of our project application as we were deemed eligible for submission and ultimately the project was awarded by Eurostars.

The open channels between departments at Catalyze is one of the many reasons why Catalyze has established a reputation for excellence in our field. The company fosters a strong culture of knowledge sharing that extends not only within departments but also across departments, facilitating collaboration and enabling employees to learn from each other’s diverse experiences and expertise that will benefit the client and the project.

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