Our Journey

01
We felt the problem
02
Consulted Hundreds of Partner Managers.
03
Looked for a solution
05
Decided to build it ourselves
04
Didn’t find it

We felt the problem

01

Over 50% of partnerships fail due to selecting the wrong partners, taking too long to develop, and losing focus and resources. We experienced these challenges firsthand and knew there had to be a better way to manage the strategy phase of partnerships.

Consulted Hundreds of Partner Managers

02

To understand the root cause, we consulted hundreds of partner managers. It became clear that the problem originates during the strategy phase, the most difficult and risky stage in the partnership lifecycle. This phase is critical for setting the foundation for success, yet it is often overlooked and under-resourced.

Looked for a solution
03

We then explored the market for existing solutions. We found over 50 partnership platforms designed for later stages—resell, co-sell, co-market, integrate—but nothing that addressed the strategy phase. This gap in the market highlighted the need for a tool that could help businesses navigate the complexities of partnership strategy.

04

Didn’t find it

Despite our extensive search, we found nothing available to help with the strategy phase. The existing platforms focused on execution but lacked the necessary tools to guide the strategic planning and decision-making process.

Decided to build it ourselves

05

Decided to Build It Ourselves Recognizing the unmet need, we decided to build the solution ourselves. We created the world’s first Partner Strategy SaaS (Software as a Service) platform. Our platform is designed to address the critical strategy phase, helping businesses select the right partners, develop partnerships efficiently, and maintain focus and resources.

The Team

Delya Jansen

CEO/ Co-founder

Hi, I'm Delya Jansen, the partnership maverick behind Partner Utopia. For over 15 years, I've been in the trenches of partnership management, back when it wasn't even a real job title.

My journey started as a sales rep at Supermicro, where I spotted an opportunity to partner with storage-defined startups to create complete solutions and compete with the big players. Since then, I've navigated the worlds of software, hardware, cloud, and SaaS, always taking on roles where I had to build partnerships from scratch.

My specialty? Transforming companies with zero partnership strategy into powerhouses, driving 25%+ of revenue from partners in record time. Now, as CEO and co-founder of Partner Utopia, I'm on a mission to revolutionize how companies make partnering decisions. I've distilled my years of hands-on experience into a game-changing platform that simplifies the complex world of tech partnerships.

My goal is to empower partnership managers with a tool I wish I had when I was starting out – one that helps them excel in their roles, make smarter decisions faster, and unlock the full potential of strategic collaborations.

Ilya Rogovoy

Chief Product Officer / Co Founder

For over 12 years, I've been immersed in the world of strategy and business development, cutting my teeth in sales roles across the tech industry. However, I've always had this secret dream of being a product manager, and create something that people love.

My journey took an exciting turn when I crossed paths with Delya Jansen. Working alongside her, I was blown away by her passion for revolutionizing how companies partner together. It was like a lightbulb moment – I knew I had to be part of this mission! So, when the opportunity arose to join Partner Utopia as Chief Product Officer, I jumped at the chance. It was the perfect blend of my business development experience and my product management aspirations. Now, I'm channeling my years of tech industry insights into creating a tool that partnership managers will actually love using.

My goal is to build a platform that transforms the way companies approach partnerships, making the process smoother, more intuitive and, hopefully, fun. I'm excited to bring my unique perspective to the table, combining my business strategy background with Lean Startup product management principles.

Ali Rashidifar

VP of Engineering

Hi, I'm Ali Rashidifar, VP of Engineering at Partner Utopia. Over the past 15 years, I've built four companies from the ground up, with two successful exits under my belt. I guess you could say I have an eye for spotting a good startup opportunity when I see one.

I've known Delya Jansen for nearly 20 years, and while I never quite understood the world of partnerships, I always admired her passion. One day, she called me with an exciting update: she had started her own company and developed a proven formula for successful partnerships.

The problem? Her formula still took 3-4 months to implement.That's when I had an idea. I told Delya, "What you need is a 'calculator' for your formula, and it's called AI." From that moment, we spent countless hours strategizing how to build this "calculator" and perfect her formula. Fast forward to now, I'm here as VP of Engineering, helping Delya and Ilya turn this vision into reality.

At Partner Utopia, my goal is to leverage the latest advancements in AI technology to build the next billion-dollar partnership SaaS solution.

For Investors

Why We're a Billion-Dollar Company in the Making

We don't just have an idea; we have solid market signals showing that we're on the path to building a billion-dollar company.

Budget and Customers:

1

The rise of the Chief Partner Officer (CPO) role, equipped with C-suite influence and dedicated resources, signifies a dedicated budget and growing headcount for partnership strategies.

Market Gap:

2

There are over 20 platforms supporting later stages of the partner lifecycle (co-sell, co-market, manage, track), but the early stages (find, create, grow) are still handled manually. This gap represents a significant opportunity for innovation.

Tech Stack:

3

Advances in technology and an influx of skilled talent have made building AI platforms more affordable and feasible than ever before.

Market Validation:

4

The partnership platform market is valued at $200 billion, with startups receiving an average of $100 million in funding. Crossbeam's success is a testament to the growing demand and potential in this space.

Partnership Communities:

5

Thriving paid membership communities provide partnership professionals with platforms to connect, grow, and share insights. Partnership Leaders, for example, has created a vibrant community that validates the importance and growth of this sector.

These key market signals affirm that we are not just addressing a significant need but also poised to capture a substantial share of a rapidly expanding market.

3 Market Signals

Dedicated Budgets

Introduction of Chief Partner Officer (CPO) means dedicated budgets for partnership tools and growing teams.

Purchase Intent

500K partner managers currently spend about $300/month on community subscriptions and repurposed tools to support their partner strategy stage.

Increasing TAM

Partner managers doubled in the last 2 years and are expected to double again to offset sales and engineering lay offs.

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