In this blog we are presenting a sneak peak into ICOS exploitation activities!

ICOS exploitation strategy encompasses joint identification of exploitable assets/results (individual ICOS components) and Key Exploitable Results (KER)s. ICOS consolidated 6 KERs as bundles of ICOS components aligned with the ICOS architecture to enable joint exploitation and market positioning: Data Layer, Security Layer, Meta-kernel Layer, Intelligence Layer, AI Model and Data Layer and ICOS Full stack.

For the development of KERs, we engaged with Horizon Result Booster (HRB) through several coaching interactions with the HRB expert. The sessions focused on the ICOS Full Stack as the most prominent KER. Final outputs from HRB include refined Unique Value Proposition (UVP), defined market and competitors, prioritised action steps and a harmonised business plan. This acted as the blueprint for preparing the business plans for other 5 KERs.

Key documents for each KER are:

1. Lean Canvas

Lean canvas is a one-page venture model that captures KER’s riskiest assumptions for rapid validation. We used the Lean Canvas to structure and test each KER across nine blocks (Problem, Customer Segments, Unique Value Proposition, Solution, Channels, Revenue Streams, Cost Structure, Key Metrics, and Unfair Advantage). The purpose of the exercise was to link the problem and the solution and to set the route for exploiting the KER.

Example of UVP description for each KERs:

• Data Layer: An open-source data layer to efficiently manage data across the edge-toc-loud continuum – enabling real-time, decentralized, privacy-preserving intelligence and collaboration among devices
• Security Layer: Security Layer delivers a holistic, ready-to-use (or modular) solution for security, trust, and compliance across the cloud–edge–IoT continuum, closing the gap between fragmented point tools and organisations’ need for unified protection and regulatory alignment.
• Meta-kernel Layer: A modular software stack for monitoring, scheduling and orchestrating workloads across the cloud-edge continuum.
• Intelligence Layer: The intelligence layer is offered as an AI-as-a-service, which is open-sourced. It facilitates collaborative learning across diverse devices and users. This strengthens security and meta-kernel functionality, promotes ethical AI practices at the continuum edge-to-cloud; other existing competitors do not offer such solutions in the market.
• AI Model and Data repository: The ICOS AI Model and Data Repository (referred to as »marketplace« in the Grant agreement) will act as a specialised online catalogue connected to various intelligence model registries. This catalog is designed to improve how users reach and adopt ICOS technologies, providing a portfolio of ideas and demonstrated uses that help users understand how they can benefit from ICOS services.
• ICOS Full stack: ICOS offers a comprehensive solution for managing the IoT-edge-cloud continuum with a complete set of features. It effectively manages device diversity and network variability, optimizes performance, and reduces operational costs.

2. Value Proposition Canvas

Value Proposition Canvas is a visual tool that maps and links customer Jobs, Pains, and Gains to Products/Services, Pain Relievers and Gain Creators. In KER development, we applied it to profile early adopters, prioritize pains/gains by importance, and translate insights into KER features. By completing this exercise we achieved sharpening of the KER UVPs, prioritising features for early adopters, and inform messaging.

3. Business Plan Structure

Business Plan Structure is the comprehensive outline we used to turn validated assumptions into an investor-ready plan, and it is the core exploitation artefact per KER consolidating Market (size, trends, competition), USP/UVP, Go-to-Market, IPR/FTO & ownership, TRL now/target, roadmap, roles, milestones, KPIs and risks. The purpose of the document is producing a single source of truth for exploitation decisions and investor/customer dialogues.

4. Action planning

Action planning is the translation of strategy into execution: clear, time-boxed objectives, owners, timelines, resources, and checkpoints. The purpose of action planning is to ensure accountability, monitor progress, and de-risk time-to-market.

5. Business Whitepaper

Business Whitepaper is a non-technical narrative of the problem–solution and the economic impact, tailored to adopters and partners, using Business plan as a basis.

6. Pitch for potential investors

Pitch for potential investors is a concise deck per KER covering purpose, problem, solution, market size, competition, product, business model, go-to-market, team, traction, and financials. We created a focused KER pitch during exploitation to secure follow-up meetings and advance financing discussions.

All artefacts above are “living” and feed each other: Lean/VPC → Business Plan → Action Plan → Whitepaper/Pitch. The same workflow is applied across KERs to support joint exploitation where relevant, consistent with D7.2/D7.3 exploitation governance, KPIs and open-source strategy.