OurCompany

Getting started

Based in Cambridge UK, Alliantus was set up in 2002 by Kevin Coleman who wished to exchange the hurly-burly of corporate life for the thrill of running his own business. (In reality, he wanted dressing gown days rather than dressing down days – but this doesn’t appear to have happened).

The company’s first contract was to provide expertise to the UK’s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI now BIS). Under a scheme to bring industry knowledge into government, our founder won a contract to become an export promoter (later a senior strategy advisor and then sector champion); he was instrumental in designing and executing strategies to achieve measurable export success for British companies in the technology sectors.

Working with government

Punching above our weight in government circles, we:

• Acted as key advisors, to businesses, Ministers, Ambassadors and senior government officials, for trade and investment in Japan and later the wider Asia Pacific region
• Identified and supported technology clusters, modifying and enhancing plans and investigating niche opportunities for technology transfer internationally
• Devised programmes to introduce MNCs to the UK’s innovation hotspots
• Led virtual networks of government commercial officers, (identifying the UK ICT industries strengths and commercial requirements) to ensure overseas delivery met companies needs

In particular we are proud to have developed the strategy for UK government’s interaction with the video games industry working with our friends at Tiga and ELSPA. We established Play UK as an annual event in Japan, raised the profile of indies with the leading AAA publishers and console manufacturers such as Nintendo and Sony. We lobbied and obtained the funds for games companies’ participation at major exhibitions, organising seminars and receptions. Our work flagged up tax break issues and support for the development of iPod software, at a time when apps stores were just a figment of Steve Job’s imagination.

Today, our government work has changed as the raison d’être of departments has changed. We now help these clients to focus more directly on companies and networks of companies. We provide expertise and industry contacts to ensure that policy, strategy and tactical projects are not just written but implemented to make a measurable difference to individual businesses.

Working with companies

Of course, over a period of almost ten years, we haven’t just worked for government agencies, we’ve been helping individuals wishing to start businesses and we’ve assisted a wide range of companies from start-ups to well-known technology brand names (and start-ups that have become well-known names). We have worked with hundreds of companies on business strategy and business growth. (See our project pages for a few more recent details).

As a small consultancy we take care not to exceed our capabilities and work with a small number of clients, most often obtained through recommendation. We have a reputation for delivery and over-servicing our clients: the latter is either a good or bad thing, depending on your position.  (See our testimonials page for some snippets about us). For companies, we:

• Help them assess and build their business or marketing plans, acting as a consultant, mentor or team/project leader
• Evaluate and then help rebuild online strategies, e.g., fitness for purpose of websites, the use of social media and integration with traditional offline marketing including press and PR
• Assist companies to obtain investment and or partners, find speaker opportunities.
• Coach or offer training on: pitching for money, working across cultures, building brands, going global or delivering killer presentations
• Build programmes for clients to explore and then enter new overseas markets: Australia, Brazil, China, India, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, and USA
• Lead clients’ participation in EU project bids, help them to win Technology Strategy Board competitions and managed-bid processes to obtain national contracts

Giving something back

We work with organisations such as the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Cambridge Network, Cambridge Wireless and Games Eden.

We have been part of the organisation behind the Cambridge Digital Marketing Conference, we manage Discovering Start-Ups and provide marketing support for the Future Wireless International Conference.  Our founder chairs conferences and runs innovation sessions, and provides thought leadership in technology marketing. (See our resources pages for articles). We are also leading a programme built around the needs of the East of England’s games sector, with partners including ideaSpace, Games Eden and EEDA.