C9 Ventures · Operating partner
Operating partner to technology companies at critical stages of growth.
C9 Ventures works with technology companies navigating significant moments of growth, change or commercial complexity.
The firm partners with founders, executive teams and investors on commercial leadership, strategic partnerships and international expansion. Engagements are deliberately limited in number and shaped around the needs of each business.
Where C9 helps
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01
Partnerships and ecosystems
Partner ecosystem strategy, platform and ISV partnerships, and operator relationships, including negotiation and deal structuring. C9's deepest expertise, and usually the slowest part of a commercial plan to build.
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02
Commercial leadership
The commercial operating model: go-to-market execution, pricing and margin, forecast discipline, and the shape and accountability of the organization.
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03
International expansion
Market entry and commercial operations across international markets: what to sell first, who to hire first, and which partnerships need to exist before either question matters.
How C9 works
- Operating partner
- The primary engagement. A sustained commercial leadership role alongside the executive team, working to the same plan as the business rather than reporting on it. Involvement is sized to the situation and reviewed as it changes.
- Interim revenue leadership
- Commercial leadership through a raise, a reset or a first international market, including the search for and handover to the permanent leader.
- Partnership mandates
- A defined ecosystem, alliance or operator negotiation, owned from strategy through to signed agreement.
- Boards and investors
- A commercial read before capital moves, or a standing advisory seat on commercial strategy and partnerships.
Each engagement is scoped in conversation. C9 takes on a small number each year.
Founder
David Copsey
David Copsey founded C9 Ventures after 15 years in commercial leadership across technology, telecommunications and cloud communications.
Before founding C9 Ventures, David was RVP, International Carrier Relations & Wholesale at Twilio, and previously VP Growth and Director of Connectivity at tyntec. Across those roles, he built and led international commercial organizations, developed global partner ecosystems, and negotiated strategic relationships with technology platforms, ISVs and telecommunications operators across EMEA, APAC and LATAM.
His work through C9 focuses on commercial strategy, strategic partnerships, international expansion and organizational leadership.
The Ninth Assessment
A three-week review of nine areas of a commercial organization.
Segmentation, qualification, pricing, sales motion, partner leverage, forecast integrity, team shape, compensation and new-market readiness—reviewed inside the business, scored and discussed with the executive team before anything is written down.
Every engagement with C9 begins with a clear assessment of these nine areas. The full three-week review is undertaken where the situation warrants it.
Contact
Start a conversation
If you're considering commercial leadership, a strategic partnership mandate or support through a significant stage of growth, share a little about the business, the situation and what you are looking to change.