EXPERTISE
Go-To-Market Strategy, Market Validation, Market Selection, Market Analysis, Market Research, Manufacturing,
BUSINESS MODEL EXPERIENCE
B2B, B2C
EXPERTISE IN THESE COUNTRIES
France, China, United Kingdom, United States
Stephen Cheng
Lower Hutt
Founded and ran two successful high-growth bootstrapped export-oriented technical startups.
Founded in 2001, Innaworks was doing cutting-edge pure software R&D that created a new market segment of mobile development tools. Customers included Google, Microsoft, Trimble, Qualcomm and many of the Tier 1 mobile game publishers. B2B, deep tech, compiler, SaaS (before SaaS was even a word).
Founded in 2021, MoErgo is designing and manufacturing the world's most ergonomic keyboard. B2C, hardware design and manufacturing, e-commerce, Kickstarter, globally-distributed.
My strengths lie in:
- Deeply analysing/understanding the market needs and market gaps
- Creating holistic strategies that work together, all the way from marketing, customer acquisition, on-boarding, product, all the way to post-sales support and growth
Why are you passionate about working with startup founders?
I spent my entirely life building envelope-pushing products and start-ups.
To overcome the tyranny of distance, I believe the future of NZ rests on building high value start-ups that stay in New Zealand (and not get sold to overseas interests). We can succeed by focusing on high value niches. Our culture and government regulations make NZ an ideal place to build a start-up.
What experience do you have working with startup founders?
My experiences include:
- Official and non-official mentoring of start-ups including a stint as a mentor at CreativeHQ
- Consulting COO role at Educa, a successful education SaaS, to help the CEO formulate growth and oeprational strategies
- Shadow board member at Gecko Press, NZ's most-loved children book publisher