This elevator pitch is forward looking. It focuses on what Directorzone is working on - under the development bonnet - and what it will become. 

Summary

Directorzone is a marketplace, platform and network for dynamic, growing companies.

It is a problem-solving, opportunity-finding and deal-making online service for businesses.

At a secondary level it is also for 'Accelerators': finance, professional services, government, media and academic organisations that can help great businesses to succeed.

Directorzone is designed for company directors who need to move fast and effectively:

• All content is from or about direct market participants with real requirements, real achievements and real opportunities.
• All contributors are encouraged to communicate useful content economically.
• All articles, listings and profiles are tagged, filtered and cross-referenced for quick evaluation and maximum clarity.

Some business sites are seller-centric and business users need huge amounts of time, energy, patience and luck to deal with waffle, hot air and uninvited sales approaches to get what they need. Often these efforts are fruitless.

Directorzone is built around these principles:

1. Procurement crunching: breaking business requirements into digestible and searchable components
2. Buyer anonymity: only the most appropriate responses can unlock buyer identities
3. Be found: smart businesses use succinct, structured and positive content to get noticed
4. Knowledge marketing: accelerators give good advice and demonstrate expertise

                                                             ....to attract the best counter-parties and to grow your business.

Who is Directorzone for?

Growth companies are the main drivers of growth in national GDP, tax receipts, exports, jobs and innovation. 

Directorzone is targeting:

• GRID companies – those with strong GRowth, Innovation and Direction - in the £0-400m turnover range
• Accelerators - the strategic suppliers that support GRID companies - from: finance, professional services, government, large corporates, media and universities.

We call this arena the GRID and are building a marketplace, network and platform to serve it. 

What problems will it address?

Growth companies face a daily struggle with issues ranging from routine to critical in a business environment that changes constantly, 24x7.

Success or failure for  company directors is determined by how they adapt to and manage change. By access to better information, counter-parties and opportunities - faster than their competitors and ahead of the multiple deadlines that affect the cash flow, profitability and success of their companies.

Then there's promotion vs procurement: the time management balance between boosting the company’s public profile and discreet procurement exercises – both ways to attract the best customers, partners, suppliers, investors and staff.

But, where do they go to find the ideas, contacts, business opportunities, support, market intelligence, inspiration and resources that will help their businesses to survive and thrive?

Is it LinkedIn, Facebook, Alibaba.com, more targeted online marketplaces, the Institute of Directors, other representative bodies or networking events?

Apart from the relevance problem in some or all of these models – wading through waffle, being relentlessly sold to by mediocre or inappropriate contacts, etc. – there is the issue of time. Who has the time to dedicate to web sites, membership organisations or events that are often very hit and miss?

Directors may use any of the above, but what else is there? Is there an arena where relevance, trust, reliable information and speed of access will help growth companies to succeed?

Welcome to the Directorzone and the GRID

The web site that you are on gives a glimpse of functionalities and content. The more advanced Directorzone web site - currently under construction and testing - prioritises very structured, purposeful information and business interactions in these areas:

MARKETPLACE: anonymous wanted and offered listings + matching (effectively classified advertising) in 7 areas:

• JOBS - Director and managerial level
• PARTNERSHIP - sales, distribution, R&D...
• BUSINESSES - for sale, franchises...
• FINANCE - investment, loans, grants, invoice factoring...
• ASSETS - plant, machinery, land, property, IP...
• GOODS - raw materials, components....
• SERVICES - legal, accounting, IT, HR, financial...

PLATFORM: a fast-changing, searchable repository of articles covering:

• NEWS - deals, markets, innovation, events, movers...
• OPINION - blog, comments...
• KNOWLEDGE - issues, advice, how to...

NETWORK: access to thousands of GRID companies and Accelerators through:

• PROFILES - companies and individual directories...
• CONNECTIONS - member to member. messaging..
• MEETING REQUESTS - make opportunitiess fit with your schedule...

Directorzone model

Directorzone is focussing initially on the UK market and, at the same time, welcoming overseas companies that seek to operate in the UK marketplace as the Directorzone grows.

Directorzone will make money through:

• Membership fees for publishing articles, listings, comments and profiles.
• Connection / matching services
• Higher level market access through:
• Advertising
• Brokerage
• Analysis: mapping the business marketplace by charting activity, relationships, requirements and trends.

Tell me more about the GRID

Please have a look around the Directorzone website to see our coverage of the GRID marketplace:

• 1206 profiles: 15% quoted, 85% private; small to medium-sized (£0-400m turnover):
• 943 GRID company profiles
• 263 Accelerator profiles
• press coverage of 1,000+ GRID companies 
• Growth company + GRID market statistics

Get in touch

Please contact us if you’d like to:

• keep in touch - for advance notice of when the Marketplace buyer / seller matching functionality is ready
• contribute marketplace content (growth companies) or knowledge articles (advisers + all)
• be interviewed (GRID CEOs)
• discuss partnership opportunities.