MELT LABS

New product development is key to the growth and sustainability for most corporates. But how do corporates know which initiatives to invest in? And how do they get it done quickly and efficiently without losing focus on “business-as-usual”? Melt Labs provides R&D as a Service to get new products into the market quicker

What is Melt Labs for Corporates?

Melt labs is the proven process, expertise and equipment that helps corporates with the ability to liberate internally “trapped” hardware projects and IP to save time and money, mitigate risk, and improve operations or get new products into the market quicker.

The Melt harnesses the collective experience, capability and expertise of running 30+ Accelerators.

The Melt unleashes strategic hardware innovation in your business.

Benefits for corporates

Rapidly test and build new products locally with a proven gated process.

Boost your innovation output without investing in new resources or equipment.

Speed up and de-risk potentially viable projects with valuable rapid prototyping learnings.

Access internal linkages to global factories for global scale.

Liberate internal projects from business-as-usual headwinds.

Transform your internal culture and access new engineering and design talent.

Maintain competitive advantage and industry leadership by getting new products to market quicker.

Boost your top and bottom line with new revenue streams and cost efficiencies.

How does the Melt Labs work?

Typically, one or more projects enter the proven Melt 4P process –Prove, Prototype, Pilot and Produce – a rapid, repeatable, and low-cost pathway to successful product development.

Prove

Accelerate internally generated ideas through the Prove Stage. Deliverable: Comprehensive Business Case Report.

Prototype

Build working prototypes using the workshop facilities. Deliverable: Working prototype and go-to-market pilot report.

Pilot

Use the prototype to test the market appetite. Deliverable: Version 1 prototype and Production Plan.

Produce

Product is proven and now production ready. Deliverable: Factory ready product.

Who is the Melt Labs for?

Typically, Melt Labs are used by corporates who have a number of hardware ideas or products in the innovation pipeline and need help with testing, commercialising and scaling these new product offerings quickly.

FAQs for Corporates

Any physical product, particularly those with electrical or mechatronic elements.

Get it done
Melt labs allows corporates to get strategically important projects out of the building and liberate them from business-as-usual headwinds.

No sacred cows
The Melt labs process ensures that each project is evaluated objectively and purely on its merits. Investment is then directed only on those hardware projects with a high likelihood of technical and commercial success. 

A proven process
The Melt’s stage-gate process provides clear deliverables and timeframes. You will know what to expect and when and you’ll always know what the next steps are.

Access to technical resources and expertise
All the technical equipment, expertise or software tools required to prototype your hardware products is here in the Melt Labs and ready to use.

As many or as few as you like. The Melt Labs can be used to develop a single product or to screen a portfolio of potential products and focus investment in those with the best commercial potential.

A structured, stage-gate/agile hybrid process that is the least-riskiest path to product development

  1. Prove: Can we sell it? Articulate and assess the business model first before building any physical products
  2. Prototype: Can we build it? Build a looks-like/works-like prototype to mitigate technical risks
  3. Pilot: Can they use it and will they buy it? Conduct small scale pilots to ensure the product has achieved problem/solution fit and product/market fit.
  4. Produce: Can we build it at scale? Design your product and manufacturing process for large scale production.

Any phase.

Prove Stage
Your product / business is at the ideation stage. In this phase The Melt will first seek to validate the business model and understand the technical risks of the project. A comprehensive business case for further investment is developed.

Prototype Stage
Your product idea is already validated and is now ready for a looks-like/works-like prototype to be developed.

Pilot Stage
You have a prototype that is now ready to be piloted with real customers to gain valuable insights and prepare for manufacturing at scale.

Produce stage
The product is ready for large scale, low cost manufacture and distribution. The produce stage ensures that input costs are optimised and all logistical aspects are considered, such as packaging, quality assurance, regulatory compliance and distribution efficiency.

The Donald Horne Building, The Melt Modern Manufacturing Centre, 140 Bridge Street, Muswellbrook, NSW 2333