Arsenal Innovation Lab powered by Yolo Group
Customer
Industry: Sports and Technology for Fan Engagement
Project: Secure a commercial relationship with the Arsenal Football Club by joining the accelerator Arsenal Innovation Lab powered by Yolo Group – startup negotiation training and support
Company: Arsenal Football Club / Yolo Group
Contact person: Calum Cameron, Program Design and Digital Innovation
Challenges
The Arsenal innovation lab powered by Yolo group intended to get participating startup teams to prepare to win a commercial deal (strategic partnership or supplier relationship) with Arsenal Football Club. Startups were adapting their product for proof of concept with Arsenal during the program.
The program ran for 2 months in 2022 and needed a negotiation expert to work with the teams on commercial conditions, shaping the solution and preparing them for the negotiations. 10 teams participated and got access to live online trainings and 1:1 feedback. Teams were in different phases from MVP with first traction to later-stage.
Startups needed to be prepared for discussions with Arsenal representatives in terms of understanding their own value and shaping and communicating the opportunity to Arsenal well.
Solution
We implemented online training on negotiation tactics and a hands-on case on a strategic collaboration to train startups on the basic elements of shaping a collaboration and understanding the pie on the table and their own value and revenue model. We discussed pitfalls in the process, how and whom to address in the right order with which messages, how to package the deal and how to prepare. A live negotiation supported the startups in understanding basic tactics and their own approach to negotiation and where to improve. Individual 1:1 feedback enabled participants to discuss their approach in private, get feedback and focus on the critical items they needed to bring forward in order to win a commercial deal.
Results
The intention was to award one contract to one of the 10 participating startups. The process has ended with 50% of all startups receiving a contract from Arsenal Football Club, quite an over-achievement that shows startups’ and founders’ quality as well as the program’s intensity and feedback given by all people involved.
About the collaboration
Calum Cameron about the collaboration:
Petra used her wealth of B2B negotiating experience to help our lab companies find ways to grow and share the pie with Arsenal. Based on the relationships they’d developed with the business owners, and the quality of their offers, half the companies reached agreements to enter commercial pilots. That speaks volumes for Petra’s value.
Petra Wolkenstein about the collaboration:
Congratulations to Calum and the Yolo Group to run this program for the Arsenal Football Club. Calum is packed with experience and knows exactly how to challenge teams to get them to their best performance and also to give them a reality check in a way so that they can work with the feedback and improve. Thank you for inviting Konsultori to be part of the journey and contributing to the success of the startups.