SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

Beyond that, I want lots of conversations with experts, users, customers, VCs, partners, etc. Someone Stole My Startup Idea – Part 2: They Raised Money With My Slides?! NDAs or Other Protection So you decide you want to be able to share with experts, users, customers, VCs, partners, etc. False Confidence.

Startup 198

Startup IP Ideas Patents 198

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 19, 2015

If you have ten minutes, that means no more than ten slides. I’ve seen several presentations that never moved past the first slide before running out of time. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. I outlined what investors expect to see in an old article “ Adding Slides Does Not Enhance Your Investor Pitch.

Slides 105

Slides Technical Review Startup Research 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

A business plan is the outward facing definition of the business you hope to drive with your hardware solution, with a hardware overview in the intro to highlight customer value and competitiveness. Use non-fuzzy terms to quantify customer value. Provide specifics on the customer business model. and trademarks.

Product 169

Product Summary Startup Examples 169

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2013

If you have ten minutes, that means no more than ten slides. I’ve seen several presentations that never moved past the first slide before running out of time. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. I outlined what investors expect to see in another article “ Adding Slides Does Not Enhance Your Investor Pitch.

Angel 102

Angel Funding Slides Technical Review 102

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2011

A perfect round number is ten slides, with the right content, that can be covered in ten minutes. Here are the ten slides you need: Problem and market need. Here is how and why it works, including a customer-centric quantification of the benefits. Describe your technology patents and “secret sauce”. Opportunity sizing.

Slides 93

Slides Competition Sample Sales 93

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2011

If you have ten minutes, that means no more than ten slides. I’ve seen several presentations that never moved past the first slide before running out of time. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. I outlined what investors expect to see in an earlier article “ Ten Slides Make a Killer Investor Presentation.”

Slides 95

Slides Technical Review Startup Research 95

SoCal CTO

JULY 13, 2010

Just because a product has a patent, deep complexity and an obvious competitive advantage does not mean that it can fly by itself into the market. Personally, I don't like weighty board packs and I do not wish to inflict slide preparation upon anyone. gave him my favorite, "keep it to six slides." didn’t think so.

Startup 175

Startup Venture Capital Slides Blogging 175

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 22, 2012

If you have ten minutes, that means no more than ten slides. I’ve seen several presentations that never moved past the first slide before running out of time. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. Have at least one backup plan, such as copies of your slides to hand out and discuss, in case all else fails.

Tips 97

Tips Slides Technical Review Startup 97

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2020

As an aspiring entrepreneur, one of the most important things you need is a memorable “ elevator pitch ,” to communicate your startup value proposition and leave a great first impression on friends, investors, employees, and future customers. For example, “I have patented a new tire that will double the wear mileage at half the cost.”

Sample 127

Sample Summary Startup Slides 127

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

In my experience, the key steps I look for always include the following: Testing the idea against customers who have money to spend. Any startup with no patents, trade secrets, or other secret sauce is very high risk today. Prepare your marketing story for customers and investors. Implement a strategy for growth and improvement.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2015

Passionate entrepreneurs tend to talk on and on about their disruptive technology, their intent to change the world and free services, but if a business can’t provide quantifiable value to real customers, the dream will likely turn into a nightmare. Investors worry about competitors more than customer features.

Startup 104

Startup Summary Patents Examples 104

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2016

As a startup advisor and investor, I recommend a pitch deck with about 10 slides backed up with a written business plan of approximately 20 pages, both containing quantified answers to the following key questions. Investors want to hear about customers with money who have a painful problem that you can solve now.

Invest 108

Invest Startup Slides Equity 108

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2014

They are looking for startups that have a sustainable advantage over direct and indirect competitor offerings, as well as obvious value to customers living without your product today. Non-specific terms, like better usability and low cost don’t incite customers to action these days. Investors check connections.

Competition 93

Competition Startup Patents Slides 93

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2016

If you have ten minutes, that means no more than ten slides. I’ve seen several presentations that never moved past the first slide before running out of time. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. I outlined what investors expect to see in an old article “ Adding Slides Does Not Enhance Your Investor Pitch.

Startup 64

Startup Slides Technical Review Research 64

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2012

File a patent and trademarks to show real intellectual property. Investors expect a one or two-page executive summary sheet for the initial screening, backed up by a ten-slide Powerpoint investor presentation. Remember to aim the content of both of these at investors, not customers. Close at least one initial customer.

Angel 104

Angel Screening Summary Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

File a patent and trademarks to show real intellectual property. Investors expect a one or two-page executive summary sheet for the initial screening, backed up by a ten-slide Powerpoint investor presentation. Remember to aim the content of both of these at investors, not customers. Close at least one initial customer.

Invest 99

Invest Angel Technical Review Summary 99

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2010

If you have ten minutes, that means no more than ten slides. I’ve seen several presentations that never moved past the first slide before running out of time. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. I outlined what investors expect to see in an earlier article “ Investor Presentation – 10 Slides is Just Right.”

Tips 56

Tips Slides Startup Research 56

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

File a provisional patent or other intellectual property. Prepare a slide deck to highlight product and business. Collect target customer testimonials and advocacy. Reserving a consistent website domain name and social media names will not likely be possible once your startup is made public via an investment platform.

Platform 94

Platform Equity Invest Technical Advisors 94

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

File a patent and trademarks to show real intellectual property. Investors expect a one or two-page executive summary sheet for the initial screening, backed up by a ten-slide Powerpoint investor presentation. Remember to aim the content of both of these at investors, not customers. Close at least one initial customer.

Angel 89

Angel Funding Technical Review Startup 89

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Let me be quick to say that a plan doesn’t have be a book, and probably should start as a “pitch deck” of maybe a dozen slides which cover all the right bases. Since this document is outward facing, it is important to keep the terminology and tone consistent with that of your customer set, investors, and business partners.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 2, 2015

I love the enthusiasm, the boundless energy and the sense of possibility that comes from having an idea that hasn’t yet been beat up in the marketplace of competing ideas, customer contracts, VC skepticism, jaded journalists or fickle consumers who are on the The New, New Thing. Who is leading your patent filing program?

Outsource Development 150

Outsource Development Metrics Startup Sales 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2018

Unfortunately, customers look for value in solving their problem, and new technologies alone scare them, so these solutions don’t get bought by customers, or funded. Certainly a slide or two needs to carry over describing the product and features at a high level. Customized marketing strategy and realistic sales plans. “If

Product 58

Product Slides Entrepreneur Invest 58

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2009

It included one firm who I asked not to call Salesforce.com as a reference (they were our largest pilot customer) and in their kindness they called Marc Benioff (the CEO) and asked his opinion. I started by trying to think I could explain my concept without having to patronize everybody with artificial PowerPoint slides. I was wrong.

Venture Capital 274

Venture Capital Blogging Startup Slides 274