CUSTOM8 N.V. Venus summer school Use of social software in business

1. custom8 CUSTOM8 N.V. Venus summer school Use of social software in business

2. Custom8 Overview • Idea • Increasing need for tailor-made products in medical sector, rehabilitation and prevention • Transfer ideas to market • commercial part of division (biomechanics and engineering design, K.U.Leuven) • spin-off company • Start • Start: 25-04-2001 • Owners: 7 persons (2 founders) + KUL • Limited budget: 200 K€ Products Services Software

4. Market Overview • Niche market • R&D based • More than 20 years experience in body measurement systems • More than 15 years experience in bedding research and development, in close collaboration with bedding sector • International • Collaboration with universities, hospitals and industry throughout Europe Products Services Software

5. Current status Overview • Collaboration with most important industrial players (EU) • Recticel (Lattoflex, Beka, Swissflex,…) • Diamond Spring Company (Twinsping,…) • Products • Market introduction • Marketing and sales department • Surgery • Very different, specific market • Daughter company: simicure n.v. Products Services Software

8. Problem Overview • Maladjusted sleeping systems or incorrect posture • Unsatisfactory support of spine • Low back pain Products Services Software

9. Solution Overview • Personalized mattress properties Products Services Software

10. Ikélo Overview • Personalized anthropometry-based expert advice • Selection of optimal mattress, bed base and pillow • Instant feedback to salesman and customer • Direct input to production and distribution Products Services Software

11. 3D Optical Hardware Overview Products Services Software • Measures physical characteristics, including body dimensions, body weight distribution and shape of spine • Marker-free, contact-free, fully automatic registration • Picks the best mattress in a product range

12. 3D Backprint Overview • Personalized anthropometry-based expert advice • Selection of optimal mattress, bed base and pillow • Instant feedback to salesman and customer • Direct input to production and distribution • Added value creation to marketing and sales Products Services Software

14. Biomechanical Tests Overview • Posture Analysis Products Services Software

15. Mechanical Tests Overview • Energy absorption • Hysteresis characteristics Products Services Software

16. Microclimatic Tests Overview • Moisture processing • Controlled damp creation (37°C, 95% relative humidity at material surface level • Custom-build Sweat Sole • Fixed indentation in test sample • Moisture transport, absorption and recuperation Products Services Software

17. Project management Overview • Web-based system • External part • Project description • Role of partners • Publications, events,… • Internal part • File sharing (sometimes FTP) • Project follow-up • Track internal deadlines and important dates • Communicate with contractors • Example: www.tissue-engineering.be Products Services Software

19. Project management Overview • + • Ease of use and access • Data centralized • External part successful • Promotion • Feedback to supporting instances (e.g. EU) • - • Stands or falls with users • Everything should be inside system • IP problems (sharing + data external server) • Stands or falls with provider Products Services Software

21. Networking Overview • Research & Development • Connection to non-profit systems • IWT • Leuven Inc. • Different levels of communication • Marketing & Sales • Business to business => Limited experience (so far) large networks • Dedicated networks (e.g. plastic surgery, bedding industry) not available => manual tracking Products Services Software

22. Networking Overview • + • Ease of use and access • World-wide • Different levels of communication • - • Business to business in conservative market (e.g. bedding) => limited (online) resources at present • Dedicated contacts not available • People are not willing to share contacts Products Services Software

23. Knowledge management Overview • Research & development • Gathering information • Different people • One location • Structured • Internal use only • 2 Wiki’s • Description and database of medical images • Software routines for handling of medical images Products Services Software

24. Knowledge management Overview • + • Ease of use and access • Improved data transfer (e.g. personnel change) • Stimulates • Communication • Collaboration • - • Internal use only • Protection (e.g. protected Wiki) Products Services Software

25. Marketing Overview • Under construction • Web log on sleep • General public • Specific groups (e.g. practitioners) • Links to dedicated partners • Labs (e.g. related to snoring) • Companies (e.g. mattresses) • Increase awareness on healthy sleeping • Increase pressure on companies and institutions to innovate Products Services Software

26. Marketing Overview • + • Content (partly) provided externally • Direct communication with consumer • Visibility • Supporting instances • Future collaboration • - • Follow-up • Deontology • Conflict of interest Products Services Software

27. Teamwork Overview • Text-based output • Project proposal • Reporting • Completely manual, but structured Products Services Software

29. Teamwork Overview • + • Ease of use and access • Data centralized • - • Stands or falls with users • Everything should be inside system • IP problems • Stands or falls with provider • Data on external server Products Services Software

30. Conclusion Overview • Custom8 uses social software • Open source • Affordable • Easy to configure to wishes • and to use ( SAP) • Not dependent on any external source • E.g. licences • Data management • locally Products Services Software

31. Conclusion Overview • In order to be useful for custom8, social software should be • Affordable • Easy to configure and to customize • Preferably open source • Easy to use • Not dependent on external sources • Data storage • License management Products Services Software