Expert Topic
Embracing and Leveraging Third-Party Innovation for Mobile and Other New Digital Products
Corporations increasingly find that relying solely on employees to develop innovative new products and services is not working.
The day-to-day demands of running the business consume employees' concentrated effort, leaving little or no time to focus on the next new wave of products to offer to the public.
The most successful corporations partner with third-party vendors that focus solely on innovation. They bring to corporations creativity, technological know-how, problem solving skills and inventive new ideas to build and launch.
The day-to-day demands of running the business consume employees' concentrated effort, leaving little or no time to focus on the next new wave of products to offer to the public.
The most successful corporations partner with third-party vendors that focus solely on innovation. They bring to corporations creativity, technological know-how, problem solving skills and inventive new ideas to build and launch.
Meet the
Expert
Jennifer Byrne
About Jennifer
- Jennifer has over 20 years of experience across the mobile, media, financial services, and technology sectors. As an executive in both Fortune 100 companies as well as start-ups, she has led strategy, business development, partnerships, investments, product and marketing launches, and developed and ran innovation programs, with a proven record of driving revenue, results, and differentiation for her employers while building & supporting strong teams.
- Additionally Jennifer supports entrepreneurs through advising and investing in mobile-related startups, innovation platforms & accelerator programs in the US and internationally.
Experience
Co-Founder and Partner
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Quesnay Inc.
Nov, 2012
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Present
- Helps companies develop and run effective and recurring innovation, including opportunity definition, commercial launch and management. Quesnay defines innovation as a new or modified product, method, or solution that drives top line revenue, and bottom line results, while also providing competitive advantage.
- Works with companies in the telecommunications/mobile, media/content, and financial services industries on a global basis.
- In 2014, organized Mobile Commerce Innovation Forum, a closed-door forum to expose client organization to the thoughts, ideas, and experiences of industry leaders working on innovation within mobile banking, POS technology standards, mobile commerce, loyalty, lending 2.0, influence of social/messaging apps, and crypto-currencies. Helped client identify tactical options for partnerships or investments and at same time gained exposure for client’s ideas and perspectives.
- Supported Money2020 team to program the Mobile Tracks panel discussion for its 2014 event; responsible for content and for identifying and recruiting mobile industry leaders and innovative startup founders.
- Ran the Verizon Powerful Answers Awards, a multi-million dollar global innovation contest, for client Verizon.
Activator
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SheEO™
2017
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Present
- SheEO is a global initiative designed to radically transform the way we finance, support, and celebrate female entrepreneurs who are creating new mindsets, new models and new solutions that are benefiting humanity.
- 500 radically generous women (called Activators) contribute $1100 in an act of #RadicalGenerosity to create a pool of capital of $500,000 that is loaned out to five women-led Ventures in their region, paid back into the fund over five years and then loaned out again, in perpetuity.
- Our goal is to have 1 million women globally supporting 10,000 female entrepreneurs with a $1 billion perpetual loan fund.
Partner
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Lab1492
2016
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Present
- Every business owner recognizes the opportunities presented by the U.S. market, the largest and most dynamic in the world. Successful and efficient market entry remains a major challenge to most non-US high-growth companies.
- Lab1492 was formed by seasoned executives with diverse international backgrounds and business experience who have worked with leading Fortune 100 companies as well as early-stage startups.
- Lab1492 fast tracks US market entry in a highly successful and cost effective manner.
Founder
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Project Mobile LLC
Nov, 2012
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Present
- Advises, mentors and invests in early stage, mobile startups.
- Investments in the US and Canada include: AngelPad Fund #1, CareAtHand, Lettuce (successful exit-sold to Intuit), Sprint.ly (nka QuickLeft); Vouchr, Webcurfew, SWSI - Smart Women, Smart Ideas.
VP, Business Development & Investments, Global Enterprise Growth
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American Express
May, 2011
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Oct, 2012
Responsible for Serve, American Express' mobile and online payments and commerce platform, including:
- Strategy development – For partnerships and investments on a global basis in online, mobile, and retail.
- Business development – Developed and deployed partnerships to drive scale for the platform and user base.
- Sourcing – Acquired offers and deals for content that provided value to Serve customers.
- Investments – Identified companies and capabilities to enhance Serve's platform; conducted due diligence and completed investment transactions, working closely with American Express' investment fund team.
Executive Director, Business Development, Partnership Management & Innovation
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Verizon Wireless
May, 2010
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May, 2011
- Responsible for new business development; partnership management (such as Facebook, Google, EA and Skype); innovation across the wireless business in areas including communications, content services (music, games, video); and managing Verizon's application store, ecosystem and 4G/LTE services.
- Led the launch of 4G LTE applications simultaneous to the 4G LTE launch itself; struck exclusive deals with application partners which showcased the speed & quality of the VZW network, offering HD quality viewing among other differentiators in the market.
- Led commercial agreement with Verizon Wireless and Skype that was launched at Mobile World Congress in 2010; educated consumers and internal team members about new service through training video.
- Skype partnership resulted from "Innovation Day" process established in 2006 – in which C-level executives meet with innovative companies, mainly startups. This process has led to a high "hit rate" for filtered company candidates for Innovation Day as well as several Verizon agreements and investments in startup companies – including Siri (subsequently acquired by Apple), Invidi (ad insertion), Video Surf (subsequently acquired by Microsoft).
- In early days of user-generated content online (pre-smartphones, pre app stores), led the commercial partnership, programming strategy and launched YouTube on Verizon on an exclusive basis. Enabled the upload of UGC via short code "YTUBE" for the first time in wireless industry.
- Managed V CAST Video platform – business development/licensing, P&L and programming strategy, marketing strategy, product development.
Education
Duke University
BA, Psychology, Statistics, French, Italian, 1993
Awards
- "Top 50 Women in Mobile" - Mobile Entertainment Magazine.
Boards
- Board of Directors - Vouchar, 2016-Present
Packages with Jennifer starting from $600
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