| Mapping the human genome had been a goal that | | | | Politicians are not exactly known as tough |
| modern bio-scientists yearned to conquer for decades. | | | | taskmasters when applying large sums of money to |
| Human genome, basically a map of each humans cell | | | | solving problems and demanding results. Government |
| make-up, if properly researched and documented, | | | | is great at establishing bureaucracies, lousy at solving |
| could provide the answer to myriad mysteries, | | | | problems. The urgency impressed on Celera to move |
| including: why we age, genetic markers, causes and | | | | ahead quickly and successfully was just never a |
| cures for diseases and many more questions | | | | consideration for the government. |
| previously thought unobtainable. The drive to chart this | | | | Who really won this race? The consumer was the |
| monumentally complex scientific puzzle lead to an | | | | real winner. The speed with which Celera mapped the |
| interesting competition. Entrepreneurs can learn much | | | | human genome enabled numerous medical products |
| from this race.The United States government's | | | | and treatments to be moved quickly ahead to |
| National Institute of Health, partnering with the British | | | | market.The lesson we can all learn is that a hungry |
| government was tasked with charting the human | | | | entrepreneur has an innate advantage over the large, |
| genome in the mid 1980's. The government employed | | | | bureaucratic enterprise that seemingly holds the cards |
| the finest bio-scientists, facilities and equipment in the | | | | in any business competition. How did MicroSoft, starting |
| effort to successfully complete the work. Budgeted | | | | in a garage, create the source code for software that |
| funds were generously appropriated for the project. | | | | IBM totally missed? How did Wayne Huizenga create |
| The United States was reported to have spent over | | | | a roll-up business model that lead to Waste |
| $3 Billion on research, the British government added | | | | Management, Blockbuster Video and Auto Nation while |
| considerably more.In 1998, a brilliant scientist named Dr. | | | | large, established companies in each industry slept? |
| Craig Ventner, while reviewing the published work | | | | Google, Hard Candy, Home Shopping Network and |
| product of the government, decided that a different | | | | Sephora are only a handful of now large and |
| approach could be undertaken to provide a faster, | | | | successful businesses that were just start-ups not so |
| more accurate answer to the complexity of the chore. | | | | long ago. They were opportunistic, agile, creative and |
| He wrote a business plan that was based on a | | | | fearless in the face of much larger, more established |
| "shotgun" type of research format. Dr. Ventner | | | | rivals.There has never been a better time for |
| approached venture capitalist funding sources and | | | | entrepreneurs with a novel idea to take on the big |
| raised $300 million in private funds. His venture, Celera, | | | | boys. In fact, the bigger the competitor, the better I like |
| was charged with mapping the genome in order to | | | | the entrepreneur's odds of success. I counsel dozens |
| commercialize the findings. The race was now on.The | | | | of entrepreneurs in my consulting business. I always |
| government team enjoyed the advantage of a | | | | encourage these pioneers to face behemoths with |
| decades long head start, huge funding commitments | | | | respect, but not fear. Celera's Dr. Craig Ventner is an |
| and a deep roster of talent. The government was not | | | | ideal model for all of us to study. |
| seeking to profit from the discovery of the map. As | | | | If you have an idea that you would like to discuss feel |
| always, the goal of government was to provide for | | | | free to contact me. Geoff Ficke can be reached at |
| the common good. | | | | 407 260 1127, Ficke has been a serial entrepreneur for |
| Celera, however, also wanted to provide for the | | | | almost 50 years. As a small boy, earning his spending |
| common good. The ability to accelerate the speed of | | | | money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood, he learned |
| discovery, convert the knowledge gained into | | | | the value of selling himself, offering service and value |
| commercial cures and products, and thus make profits, | | | | for money.After putting himself through the University |
| was the goal of this private venture. Celera did not | | | | of Kentucky (B.A. Broadcast Journalism, 1969) and |
| have unlimited, funds, talent or time. The investors | | | | serving in the United States Marine Corp, Mr. Ficke |
| wanted the markers laid down in the business plan to | | | | commenced a career in the cosmetic industry. After |
| be met and to see a return on their investment. In | | | | rising to National Sales Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair |
| order for this to happen, the scientific task needed to | | | | Care at age 28, he then launched a number of |
| be completed and the resulting knowledge | | | | ventures, including Rubigo Cosmetics, Parfums Pierre |
| commercialized.Celera was a start-up in 1998 and | | | | Wulff Paris, Le Bain Couture and Fashion |
| completed the genome map in 2001. In a fraction of | | | | Fragrance.Geoff Ficke and his consulting firm, Duquesa |
| the time and with a fraction of the funding of the | | | | Marketing, Inc. ( has assisted businesses large and |
| government group Celera was widely considered the | | | | small, domestic and international, entrepreneurs, |
| winner of the race that was never formally | | | | inventors and students in new product development, |
| acknowledged. The result should surprise no one. The | | | | capital formation, licensing, marketing, sales and |
| result also should inspire every entrepreneur.The | | | | business plans and successful implementation of his |
| government team was playing the game by different | | | | customized strategies. He is a Senior Fellow at the |
| rules than Celera. The pressure applied by private | | | | Page Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Business |
| investors was absent from the government effort. | | | | School, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. |