Health economist and researcher Simon Wan Yau Ming spotted an opportunity to create value for unpaid carers with a community platform to help them support each other and connect with other carers, resources, charities and research bodies.
The platform was to be called Connected Carers.
Challenge
He understood the opportunity and knew roughly what he wanted to build, but needed help with a specific product roadmap for the MVP, and wanted to minimise risk and personal investment on an unproven idea.
He turned to me to help specify and prototype the MVP, and raise the necessary funding to get it built, without complex, dilutive investor financing and risky debt.
Approach
The governmental department UKRI / Innovate UK offers R&D grant funding for projects such as these, on the basis of a competitive grant proposal process.
I worked with Simon to bring my deep experience on early products to scope the essential requirements for the platform, ensuring that we could easily deliver the project on the funding available.
I also
Deliverables
Pre-Grant
Product scope
Product roadmap
Project plan
Platform selection / tech stack
Grant writing & fundraising consultancy
Post-Grant Award
Website, branding & visual identity
The MVP platform
Results
With my expertise, input and advisory, we were able to win the grant and deliver everything on the project:
Secured the maximum initial grant award of £50,000 / ~$68,000
Delivered full brand kit - name, visual branding and positioning, design assets, website, logo, etc.
Delivered a working MVP community platform with WP + Buddyboss
Helped Simon realise his vision for the project risk-free, fully funded by the Innovate UK R&D grant, to present and share with research and carer organisations
Client Endorsement
"Jack partnered with me to specify the MVP and win the maximum grant of £50,000 from Innovate UK, and ultimately to develop our platform for Connected Carers."
Simon Wan Yau Ming
Founder, Researcher
Raising £50k (~$68k) in Non-Dilutive R&D Grant Funding