PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
The Dragons’ Den-style channel initiative from The Tech Crowd has announced its first successful product launch into the UK market.
It was responsible for helping to secure distributor Entatech’s deal with British screen, mobile product and projector manufacturer Pico Genie.
Channel Dragons works by inviting vendors with new products to pitch to top execs from UK tech distributors (one from each supplier, known as a Dragon). Quarterly meetings are held on a one-on-one basis and if the distributor likes what it sees, a deal can be struck to bring the product to the UK market. Read more information in our ‘Meet the Channel Dragons’ article here.
Commenting on the latest deal, Channel Dragons MD Jamie Plumridge told PCR: "We are extremely pleased to be able to announce the successful launch of Pico Genie via the Channel Dragons program.
"One of the critical elements of the Channel Dragons program is finding and assessing products to bring to our panel of Dragons. Pico Genie impressed us immediately with their high quality, feature rich, innovative and cost-effective range of ultra portable LED projectors and portable screens. Entatech clearly agreed with us right from the first pitch resulting in us signing them as Pico Genie’s first UK distributor."
Pico Genie CEO Oliver Webster added: "The program is a win win for a manufacturer like us. The team at Channel Dragons are highly experienced, very knowledgeable, have fantastic existing relationships, and are trusted existing partners of the distributors that sit on the Dragons panel. This has enabled us to launch Pico Genie into the channel in the most efficient manner imaginable.
"I have complete trust that Entatech and the Channel Dragons team will make Pico Genie the brand of choice within the ultra-portable LED projector market. This three way partnership optimises our brand potential, and I look forward to meeting many more success milestones over the coming months, and years."
Entatech VP Jon Atherton added: "The meetings with Channel Dragons were extremely informative and detailed. It was great to be introduced to a wide range of new, exciting and innovative products, whilst also being able to liaise in detail on each vendor opportunity.
"There was a great follow up by Channel Dragons to end the session, which ensured that we had everything we needed in order to make the best decision possible and we found a great fit already with bringing Pico Genie into our product portfolio.”
