Sopheon launches alliance program

As part of its Valued Industry Alliance (via) Program, Sopheon has formed a partnership with Arthur D. Little under which the two firms will introduce and implement Sopheon's Accolade solution for new product development. Sopheon says the agreement is one of eight that will link the company to top technology solutions consultants, implementers and resellers throughout the world..

Sopheon says the program centers on marketing and implementing three offerings:

• Accolade, an automated version of the Stage-Gate product development process that combines software applications, expert services and preloaded best-practices content designed to increase new product success rates and speed time to market;

• Teltech.com, a Web-based research portal for technical and business professionals; and

• Internal Knowledge Network, a collaborative expert-locator system.

  The Sopheon viaProgram includes eight types of companies and associations that qualify. The three primary program categories are: Implementation Services Alliance, Certified Product Consultant and Value-Added Reseller.

  Sopheon has also signed agreements with seven other firms:

  • in the United States, DRM Associates, a management consulting and training firm, and yet2.com, a cross-industry global technology marketplace;

  • in the United Kingdom, Integrated Product Consulting, an engineering consultancy that specializes in supporting new product development within manufacturing process industries;

  • In Germany, Aixonix, a developer and implementer of Web-based systems whose capabilities include compilation and preparation of content for transfer via intranets and extranets;

  • in The Netherlands, MiQ, a consulting firm that focuses on the implementation of best practices and solutions related to innovation and new product development, and Human Connection, a services company that supports business process improvement; and

  • in Denmark; Innovation Management U3, a consulting group that specializes in the provision of solutions, research and training in support of innovation and new product development.