Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2021

This raises a big red flag with potential investors, who conclude that no competitors means no market, or you haven’t looked, and the new startup is likely not investable. Here are some of the key ones: Patent protection in place as a barrier to entry.

Competition 166

Competition Funding Startup Patents 166

SoCal CTO

JULY 13, 2010

People tend to overvalue past investments when making forward-looking investment decisions. 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. gave him my favorite, "keep it to six slides." The sunk costs trap.

Startup 175

Startup Venture Capital Slides Blogging 175

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

For example, “We just patented a new battery technology that will cut your smartphone charge time and cost in half.” Call out your top competitors, highlighting your sustainable competitive advantage, including patents, trade secrets. Professional investors and even customers invest in people, rather than just a product.

Product 169

Product Summary Startup Examples 169

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. Describe your technology patents and “secret sauce”. What equity is the company willing to give in return for the investment? Opportunity sizing. Exit strategy.

Slides 93

Slides Competition Sample Sales 93

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

I recommend a ten-slide pitch to start, reviewed by friends and advisors, to be expanded to a ten-to-twenty-page business plan with opportunity sizing, cost and price details, competitors, marketing and sales strategy, financial projections, and resources required. Reach out with creative videos to influencers in your domain.

Ideas 94

Ideas Slides Technical Review Patents 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2020

For example, “I have patented a new tire that will double the wear mileage at half the cost.” Customers still buy from people, and investors invest in you and your team, more than the solution. You shouldn’t expect to get an investment commitment in the elevator, or close a customer deal in the first minute.

Sample 127

Sample Summary Startup Slides 127

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2015

For example, “I have patented a new LCD with double the intensity at half the cost, already proven locally, and I just need resources to scale for this market.” For example, “Unlike all the other LCD providers, our patented high intensity light has no blue tint or glare that looks unnatural.” Build up for the punch line at the end.

Startup 104

Startup Summary Patents Examples 104

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2012

But many entrepreneurs don’t realize that Angels are also extremely discerning in the projects that they will invest in, rejecting approximately 97% of the proposals submitted to them, according to the California Investment Network. File a patent and trademarks to show real intellectual property. Marty Zwilling.

Angel 104

Angel Screening Summary Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2014

This raises a big red flag with potential investors, who conclude that no competitors means no market, or you haven’t looked, and the new startup is likely not investable. Here are some of the key ones: Patent protection in place as a barrier to entry.

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. I outlined what investors expect to see in an old article “ Adding Slides Does Not Enhance Your Investor Pitch. Then match your pace to cover all the material.

Startup 64

Startup Slides Technical Review Research 64

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

File a patent and trademarks to show real intellectual property. A conundrum for many frustrated entrepreneurs is that they need money from investors to design and build a prototype product, yet most angel investors expect to see at least a prototype before they invest. Prepare an investment-grade business plan. Marty Zwilling.

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. For example, “I just patented a new cell-phone technology that will double battery life for half the cost. Project revenues, costs and investment needs.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2018

Certainly a slide or two needs to carry over describing the product and features at a high level. This implies high odds of a scalable business, simply needing an investment to lead to success. Patents, trade secrets, and trademarks are very attractive to investors, since these are not easily overcome by competitors.

Product 58

Product Slides Entrepreneur Invest 58

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 2, 2015

One area I’ve had much discussion with the companies in which I’ve invested in is bringing on board an operationally focused CFO. What I used to do is pencil out my plans for the board deck and strategy topics and my CFO would then pull together the slides and analysis. Who is leading your patent filing program?

Outsource Development 150

Outsource Development Metrics Startup Sales 150

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2009

I started by trying to think I could explain my concept without having to patronize everybody with artificial PowerPoint slides. This approach generally works well with customers because I find it much easier to build rapport when we talk like humans than when we all stare at the PowerPoint slides being projected on the wall.

Venture Capital 274

Venture Capital Blogging Startup Slides 274