From Referral-Only to Repeatable Pipeline for an FPGA Firm

The Challenge

Xlera Solutions had deep FPGA expertise and a strong reputation in the defense and aerospace space — but every deal came through the founder’s personal network. There was no positioning, no outbound system, and no way to scale without him in every conversation.

They needed to commercialize their technical depth before a better-packaged competitor took the category.

What We Did

Positioning & ICP Refinement We identified the highest-value buyer segment — defense primes and Tier-1 aerospace contractors with active FPGA modernization programs — and rebuilt Xlera’s positioning around the specific outcome those buyers needed: faster time-to-prototype without internal FPGA headcount.

Offer Architecture We designed a productized entry offer — a fixed-scope FPGA feasibility assessment — that lowered the buying barrier and created a natural path to full-engagement retainers.

Outbound System We built a two-track outbound program: a LinkedIn sequence targeting engineering directors and procurement leads at target accounts, and a cold email program to the same accounts via different contacts. Sequences were short, technically credible, and outcome-focused.

The Results

• First inbound-sourced enterprise deal closed in 60 days
• 12 qualified discovery calls booked in the first 45 days
• LinkedIn connection acceptance rate: 38% (vs. 22% industry average)
• Positioning document adopted as the internal sales brief for all new conversations

What Made It Work

Technical buyers are skeptical of marketing. The positioning had to demonstrate domain fluency before asking for a meeting. Every touchpoint — from the LinkedIn headline to the cold email first line — was written to prove we understood FPGA development cycles, not just that we were a marketing firm.

That credibility gap is exactly what most generalist agencies can’t close.