Transcript SBIR: Training the Trainers

Venture Presentations &
Business Plan
Development for
Entrepreneurs
SCI2 Business Incubator
website: www.sci2.org
e-mail:
[email protected]
Methods of Communicating
Your Business Idea / Strategy

Elevator Pitch

Executive Summary

Business Plan

Venture Presentation
The “Elevator Pitch”

2 – minute overview

Peak the interest of potential management,
potential investors and strategic partners

Gives a clear picture of the company and its
solution

Must be delivered effectively and succinctly
Creating an “Elevator Pitch”

Should include:

Product and service offering

Target market

Current development stage

Capital needs

Know your audience

Practice, practice, practice
Sample “Elevator Pitch”
ACME Technology is a developer of proprietary seismic
software and solutions.
ACME is targeting the $2.5 billion spent annually for
seismic software and solutions by the upstream oil &
gas industry.
ACME currently has three patents pending and is
seeking funding to complete development of its beta
software product, which is being implemented and
tested by Big Oil Petroleum, Inc.
Venture Presentations


Keys to Success:
 No more than 10-12 slides
 “a picture is worth a thousand words”
 Prepare backup slides for common questions
 Readable text
 No more than 20 minutes
 Practice, practice, practice
YOU GET ONE SHOT !!
Venture Presentations
Presentation Rules

Sell the Venture, not the Product

Have a Hook

Stay On Point

Be Honest
Presentation Take-Always

Presentation Material – a direct reflection on
management

Clear, concise, compelling

If you don’t know it, admit it

Credibility and believability

Practice, practice, practice

One shot to present – make it count
Presentation Content










General Intro of the Company and the Presenter
Management Team
The Company
 Include history and achievements to date
Value Proposition
 Present the problem / your solutions
Business Model – alliances, partners, how revenue generated
Products and technology
Marketing Strategy
Competition
Financial Snap Shot
Anticipated benefits of SCI2 partnership
Common Presentation Errors
Failure to……….
• sell the venture to the investor
• define an exit strategy
• Support achievable numbers
• Use solid market research methodology
• Assume proper management role
• Be open to investor recommendations
• Limit length of business plan
– 30 pages with financials, 5 year
projections
– Appendix
TOP DEAL-KILLING QUOTES

no on else does what we do

key employees will join us at funding

several VCs are very interested

this is the best deal you will ever see
TOP DEAL-KILLING QUOTES

big corporations are too slow to be a threat

all we have do to is get 1% of the market

we are chasing a billion dollar market

these financial projections are conservative
Business Plan /
Venture Presentation References

The Art of Telling Your Story


Secrets of Great Planning


http://www.preflightventures.com/TSWSguide.pdf
http://www.inc.com/magazine/19921001/4340.html
Dawnbreaker’s “Business Planning For
Scientists & Engineers

http://www.dawnbreaker.com/publications/index.html
7 Keys to Successful Ventures

Proprietary Technology

Defined Market Need

Sufficient Capital to Commercialize

Experienced Management

Experienced Support Team

Product Development Expertise

Excellent Marketing