Business planning

Published online: 20 February 2007, doi:10.1038/bioent916

Becoming an American company: a holistic approach to decision making

*Pradip K. Banerjee is chairman & CEO of The Banerjee Group, 141 Christopher Drive, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, USA. Previously he was the president and CEO of the University City Science Center in Philadelphia, PA. E-mail: pbanerjee@patmedia.net

Soft-landing platforms

Soft-landing platform organizations integrate capabilities under a single management process to provide:

• Hands-on management services, not just advice.
• Specialized facilities.
• Financing/ venture capital.
• A network with high-quality research institutions.
• Ability to find people with FDA and pharmaceutical experience.

These organizations have experience in dealing with non-US companies, understand different corporate organizations, can help create international partnerships and find capital, and provide hands-on management for all aspects of these companies' US operations all under one umbrella. An example of such an organization is the University City Science Center in Philadelphia, which is located next to the University of Pennsylvania, with over 1.7 million square feet of space in a research park, two lab incubators, a management services company and venture capital fund, all under corporate management with several international strategic partnerships in place.