Case · Market Entry

UK Mining Analytics Platform to 12 Enterprise Clients and $3.8M ACV

A UK mining benchmarking platform scaled enterprise client acquisition through fractional operational leadership, government partnerships, and advisory board formation — achieving 12 enterprise clients and $3.8M+ contract value.

Mining Technology18 months

Cross-functional team collaborating around a meeting table

[ market entry ]

Fractional COO embeddedTier 1 miners signedNRCAN co-funding securedAcquisition-stage ready

Enterprise clients

3.8M+ CAD

Annual contract value

1.2M CAD

Government co-funding

100%

Customer renewal rate

The problem

What they came to us with.

A London-registered mining analytics platform helped mining operations optimize energy consumption and operational efficiency, with proof-of-concept across European, African, and Asian sites. The founder needed to prove the business model could acquire enterprise clients and position the company for acquisition within 18 months — a hard deadline driven by exit considerations. Three interdependent challenges had to move in parallel: shifting from founder-led sales to systematic enterprise BD targeting Rio Tinto, Vale, OceanaGold, and Goldfields; aligning with government programs for credibility and co-funding; and professionalizing operations for exit readiness. Permanent senior hires weren't the right move given the exit horizon — the company needed fractional leadership with operational authority.

Method

How the work actually ran.

01
Fractional leadership
Deployed as fractional COO and Head of Business Development for 18 months, embedded with operational decision-making authority — not advisory.
02
Enterprise targeting
Mapped 60+ mining operations globally; built a targeting strategy based on energy optimization priorities and sustainability reporting requirements; led direct outreach and contract negotiations with Tier 1 operators.
03
Government partnerships
Negotiated partnership with Natural Resources Canada and secured $1.2M in government co-funding through NRCAN subsidy mechanisms, providing both capital and credibility.
04
Advisory board + visibility
Recruited a 6-member advisory board of senior mining executives and academic leaders; secured speaking engagements at major industry conferences to position the platform as an independent industry authority.
05
Exit-ready operations
Implemented financial governance — quarterly shareholder reporting, KPI tracking (pipeline, CAC, ARR), exit scenario modeling — and a customer success program with quarterly business reviews that delivered 100% renewal.

This engagement drew on

Canadian Market EntryFractional C-Suite

The team brought operational discipline, government relations expertise, and client acquisition credibility we couldn't build internally. By month 18, we had positioned ourselves as an acquisition-stage asset with enterprise revenue and strategic partnerships.