TechTransform News

TechTransform News

TechTransform Supports Fairways360 Startup

Los Angeles, CA, 5 November 2009: TechTransform wrapped up another assignment to help launch an innovative startup, Fairways360, which maps golf courses "street view" style.

TechTransform was the marketing lead in the startup phase. Scott Gordon was project director.

Travis Tharp, co-founder of Fairways360, said:

The TechTransform team did a great job for us at Fairways360. We are a rapidly growing interactive media company focused on the golf industry. As a startup, our biggest enemies are time and money. TechTransform got to work quickly, taking the lead in developing our marketing strategy. They also worked closely with our team to develop the creative and collateral to support the strategy.

The TechTransform team worked seamlessly with our existing resources to achieve our goals. We relied heavily on their expertise in launching startups, which helped us to avoid some costly mistakes.

TechTransform is OUR "instant on" marketing team!

Thanks to Juan Santillan and Travis Tharp, co-founders, for a great startup project. And thanks to Ivan Ivankovich for bringing us together!

Riggs Eckelberry Launches New Energy Blog

Los Angeles, CA, 23 July 2009: Riggs Eckelberry launches a personal blog, focusing on cleantech's challenge ahead.

Click here to get up to one email update per day, or follow Riggs' Twitter Feed to get updates (no approval required).

View the blog here.

Flash! OriginOil Goes Public!

See the Forbes article here.

Riggs Eckelberry Announces OriginOil

Los Angeles, CA, August 6, 2007: Riggs Eckelberry announced the launch of OriginOil. He stated: "We believe OriginOil’s technology is the missing element to enable mass production of algae oil."

OriginOil is the developer of a breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum.

(full release)

CyberDefender Breaks Out in Consumer Security Software

Los Angeles, CA, December 30, 2006: With the help of Riggs Eckelberry and team, a great new technology for securing computers and networks has gained a foothold in the crowded security software segment.

It's called CyberDefenderFREE and it's found traction with both the press and the public as "The All-Free Internet Security Suite".

CyberDefender's co-founder and CEO Gary Guseinov originally invited TechTransform to help productize the new technology as an outsourced product marketing team. That was in mid-2005. Later in the year, Riggs joined the company as its #2, and TechTransform consultants Scott Gordon and Kristin Gabriel were hired directly by the company.

Here's how CEO Gary Guseinov tells it:

"In mid-2005, we were looking for senior talent to turn our company into a real security software developer with a killer business model. An industry veteran recommended Riggs Eckelberry to us and Riggs has proven to be exactly what we needed. Initially he brought a consulting team, and then in November of 2005 he joined us as the company’s President and COO. Over this period, Riggs was critical to our efforts. He built the new company, recruited its key players, discovered and piloted the new business model, implemented many best practices, and helped us get initial funding and file for our public offering as a small business. As he moves on, he leaves behind a strong team and product, and a killer application, the all-free Internet security suite. We look forward to continuing to have him as a consultant and hopefully, to have him as an executive again. It has been a pleasure working with Riggs these many months and we wish him the best of success in his coming ventures."

Riggs wraps up his assignment on 31 December, 2006, and continues as a board advisor. He tells the CyberDefenderFREE story in an article posted on TechTransform.com.

MaxPreps Achieves National Visibility

Cameron Park, CA, December 6, 2005: MaxPreps, the fast-growing online site for high school sports, brought in TechTransform this year to increase its visibility, implement commercial advertising and attract national advertisers.

By CEO Andy Beal's account, the assignment was a success:

“The TechTransform team brought vision and execution to our commercial strategy. They developed our online ad revenue network and got our first national advertisers. They helped our search engine rankings and page views increase many times over. And, finally, they got us national visibility through a partnership with USA Today! We greatly appreciate the “kick in the pants” we got from TechTransform and look forward to being a venture success as a result. Thank you Riggs, Edan, Steve and Karina!”

Steve Glovsky continues as a business development executive for the company.

TechTransform Completes Network Streaming Assignment

Jackson, MS, November 10, 2005: Network Streaming is one of the hot tech companies in the Jackson area, and TechTransform recently completed an acceleration project managed by Vangel Capital Group.

CEO Joel Bomgaars said today:

“TechTransform worked with us on a strategic marketing acceleration venture this year. We were extremely happy with their work and would recommend them without reservation. I was especially impressed with the domain expertise that Riggs Eckelberry brought to the project. He worked with us to sharpen our product offering, broaden our marketing programs, and appropriately position our product for accelerated growth. Another member of the TechTransform team, Christian Staller, diligently executed on the logistics for many of the marketing programs that were launched. We are thankful for Riggs’ continuing help as a strategic advisor as we implement the programs he advocated. We can attribute much of our competitive momentum to him and his team. We are breaking records every quarter and wish to thank TechTransform for their key contribution!”

Riggs continues as a strategic advisor to the company.

TechTransform Principal Works with Bocada and Crossbow to Implement Closed-Loop Systems.

WESTPORT, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 16, 2005--Leading enterprise software company Bocada® has selected Crossbow Group as its agency of record. Crossbow Group will handle creative assignments for direct marketing, advertising, web and trade show marketing as well as other new business development efforts.

Riggs Eckelberry, the firm's West Coast Managing Director, will also be working closely with the Bocada team to develop, implement and rapidly integrate a closed-loop marketing and systems infrastructure. (more)

Flash! SBC and BellSouth Acquire YellowPages.com! (link)

YellowPages.com Doubles Sales In Four Months

CEO commends Riggs Eckelberry for his role

Henderson, Nevada, 27 October 2004: Online publisher YellowPages.com has doubled its sales in the four-month period from June to October, and CEO Dane Madsen has recognized TechTransform's Riggs Eckelberry for his part in that success. He writes:

"When we knew we needed product line and packaging expertise to drive our revenues, we called Riggs Eckelberry. Riggs was able to quickly assess our marketplace situation and address it with a combination of triage efforts as well as set longer term strategies in motion. Through focusing on the product line and coupling it with better sales training, he helped us double sales from June to October. More importantly, he identified and achieved consensus for a key product evolution and prototyped the candidate product. Riggs' strategy has set in motion the direction of productization in our marketplace that will add significant incremental revenue to our existing listings business. Thanks, Riggs!"

Riggs says: "Thanks, Dane, for an exciting assignment - can't wait for what's next!"

Marketing Expertise Site Publishes Panda Case Study

Marketing Sherpa selects campaign story for yearly compilation

Marina Del Rey, 3 March 2004: A major know-how site has honored Riggs Eckelberry's Panda case study in its 2004 roundup.

The respected Marketing Sherpa, publisher of practical know-how and case studies published weekly to an audience of 147,000 marketing, advertising and PR pros, selected the Panda study for its yearbook, "Marketing Wisdom for 2004 - 99 Marketers Share Real-Life Tips". This complimentary publication can be downloaded at the Marketing Sherpa site or here.

The Panda story is Case Study #4, Part I, "Real-Life Campaign Stories".

Direct Marketing and Communications Agency Launches West Coast Operations with Appointment of Riggs Eckelberry, Tech Industry Veteran

WESTPORT, Conn., Feb 5, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Crossbow Group LLC today announced the appointment of Riggs Eckelberry, technology marketing veteran, as Managing Director, West Coast Operations. Based in Marina Del Rey, CA, Riggs will be responsible for business development and client support for high tech and financial services companies requiring results-oriented customer acquisition and retention programs. ... (articles)

Tech Veteran Completes Panda USA Assignment

Riggs Eckelberry Wraps Up Security Company's Expansion Project

Glendale, CA - November 25, 2003 - Veteran technologist Riggs Eckelberry has completed a major project of market development for the US branch of Spanish anti-virus software company Panda Software. In his eight months as general manager, he completed several key projects for the future expansion of Panda US.

"Riggs Eckelberry developed excellent expansion programs and systems which will help us lead the way next year. We thank him for his brilliant ideas and hard work," said Alan Wallace vice president of corporate communications for Panda Software US.

Among the marketing team's successful programs was The Panda Challenge, which gave the company an opportunity to demonstrate to IT managers that they were inadequately protected by their existing security vendors. This paid off when many corporate customers were hard-hit during the virus attacks of late August. (release) (coverage)

Panda Commends US Executive on Triple Sales

Riggs Eckelberry Drives Success for Panda Software USA

GLENDALE, Calif., Sept. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Multinational security software developer Panda Software commended Riggs Eckelberry for tripling total US sales levels since his appointment earlier this year as General Manager, Panda USA. Mr. Eckelberry is responsible for Panda's drive to become a key US player in its core antivirus business.

"We are very proud to have Riggs Eckelberry at the helm of our US unit. He is actively making Panda a threat to the existing order and that's just what we wanted," said Modesto Rodriguez of Panda Software International.

"There is nothing more exciting than an upset play in the software business," added Eckelberry. "Panda's cutting-edge antivirus lab and its culture for excellence and integrity make it a real candidate for the first tier. This is a case study in the making and I'm honored to be part of the team." (release) (coverage)

Wireless Technology Funded

August 20, 2003: A stealth company closed its first round of venture funding on July 24. The technology uses wireless technology to transform a key digitization activity. It has application in film and videogames, but also in other technology areas. The investors came from the wireless sector.

Our Convergence Team has provided nonstop business development and management services for this startup since it was invited to develop the business plan a year ago.

I'd like to personally thank and congratulate the team, Stefan Jacobs, Kevin O'Brien and Lynn Hirshfield. Yes, we will be able to discuss this fascinating venture in more detail this fall!

Riggs Joins Panda Software

May 11, 2003: Riggs took a position as General Manager of Panda Software USA back in February, and finally admitted it. He says he "likes the challenge of bringing a superior player to the US market" - or does he just loooove the commute to Glendale? Must be the challenge.

From his announcement on Of Interest:

I thought the anti-virus market was mature and not very interesting. Hah! Turns out virus protection drives a lot of business in these insecure times. I'd love to see how we could do something together .

And TechTransform?

TechTransform is alive and well. We have three good projects with active teams running them, and I continue to help make them a success . As always, I am happy to help you or your project find new connections.

And he took his first radio interview as Panda GM on Online Tonight... Hear Bookmark This for 14 May 2003: (the :28 segment) (the :50 segment)

We've Moved!

March 1, 2003: It doesn't mean much for business, since we are so very virtual, but we have moved up the street, closer to the busy Venice Pier.

Why? Just more room. Couldn't leave the beach though!

Get our new address

Aerial Photo Of Our Location

(thanks to the California Coastline Project!)

More French Press

On February 24, Riggs Eckelberry was interviewed on the business news site Netéconomie about the potential impact of the Iraq situation on the high tech economy and the commercialization of French high tech products in the USA.

In brief, his answer was that he saw more impact from the business cycle than from politics, and that, in general, you are still healthier if you are close to the commerce of the Internet than if you are dependent on funding. (Read the article) (Acrobat version) (Google Translation)

French Press Covers TechTransform

November 4, 2002: During his French trip in October, TechTransform's Riggs Eckelberry was interviewed by the business monthly L'Entreprise, the business daily La Tribune, the national business radio show BFM (listen), and the internet news site Netéconomie.

The interviews, arranged by Rumeur Publique Equity, focused on TechTransform's approach to launching French technology in North America.

"TechTransform helps French enterprises launch in the US at less expense", opens Netéconomie's interview of TechTransform founder Riggs Eckelberry, which goes on to discuss his experimental marketing method.

Describing TechTransform's role in the post-crash environment, Eckelberry adds: "What do the survivors of the bubble have today? A technology, a team, funding. However these survivors have often eliminated their marketing and often their partnerships. Everything has to be redone, and the fastest way is to bring in a group like TechTransform." (more) (Acrobat format) (Google translation)

TechTransform's Convergence Team

October 27, 2002: The "universal glue" of Web services is hooking up technology in other areas than enterprise software. A TechTransform team headed by veterans Stefan Jacobs and Kevin O'Brien now helps ventures succeed at the "convergence challenge".

Projects include a market research study which assisted in funding a new plastics molding technology, and commercialization of an undisclosed technology with applications in film and videogames, but also in other technology domains.

Please click here to find out more about our Convergence activities.

TechTransform Assists Funding

August 5, 2002: "The work conducted by TechTransform was carried out in a very tight time frame, yet the Commercial Market Evaluation was sufficiently indicative as to convince a highly conservative local council to loan us a start up sum and to subsequently commit a further sum to build the purpose designed factory at no cost to us. Furthermore they provided 2.5 acres of prime land, very close to their local airport, and funded the Resource Consent Application to build this factory which was approved on 25 July '02."

Soren Kierkegaard, Fundamental Technology (NZ) Limited

The AdScience Alliance

July 15, 2002: TechTransform and web developer AdScience have partnered to offer an integrated marketing services program. TechTransform also provides strategic marketing services to AdScience and its spinoff, Itensil.

DDoS Player Signs TechTransform

June 27, 2002: TechTransform has been retained to assist CS-3 Inc. with the commercialization of its proprietary Distributed Denial Of Service (DDoS) technology.

TechTransform Reps French Firms

June 17, 2002: TechTransform is now the exclusive North American representative of two funded French companies, IB-Soft and CrossDatabase Technology.