Startup Professionals Musings: Investor Presentation – 10 Slides is Just Right

Twitter is truly amazing – the opportunity to find GEMS on the internet from a simple connection request is AMAZING – so for all those startups seeking to present how investors like to be pitched to below is one guys thoughts which look pretty good to APLINK…

An alternative approach, which I prefer, is to build the investor presentation first, by iterating on the bullets with your team, and then fleshing out the points into a full-blown text-based business plan document. Here are the ten slides you need:

1. Market Need and Solution. Define the problem or the market need, and outline your solution. Give the “elevator pitch” for your startup.

2. Company & Business Model. Name of the company and organization, product or services, how you will make money, who pays you, and gross margin.

3. Product & Technology. Define the technology behind your product or services (past, present, and future development phases). Make sure to communicate the relevance of your product / services to market needs. Describe your technology patents and “secret sauce”.

4. Industry & Market Sizing. Define the characteristics of the overall industry, market forces, market dynamics, and customer landscape. The investor needs to understand the industry of your company. Use data from third parties like Forrester or Gartner.

5. Marketing, Sales, and Partners. Describe marketing strategy, sales plan, pricing, and partnership plans. Here is also a good place for a rollout timeline with key milestones.

6. Competition and Competitive Advantage. List and describe your competition. Describe some of your company’s competitive advantages.

7. Management Team. Qualifications and roles of the top three executives and top three on your Board of Advisors.

8. Funding Requirements and Use of Funds. How much money (if any) has management put into the venture? What is the level of capital funding sought during this stage? What is the company willing to give in return for the investment?

9. Financial Forecast and Metrics. Project both revenues and expense totals for next three years, and past three years. What is the current valuation of the company? Show breakeven and growth assumptions.

10. Exit Strategy. What is the timeframe of return on investment? What is the planned exit strategy (IPO, merger, sale, etc…)? What is the timeframe for the exit? What is the rate of return expected for the investor?

via Startup Professionals Musings: Investor Presentation – 10 Slides is Just Right.

T=Machine » Over $150M invested in Europe into social games, VWs, casual MMOs & games

Great report here from T=Machine, Metaversum creators of twinity are in the list, a lot have time has been spent compiling the data – well done

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Jussi posted an excellent writeup of how there’s been over $350 million invested in social games etc worldwide, and commented that he the European side wasn’t really included in his sources.

But I’ve been tracking the European side for a while, and since I’m preparing a new MMO / Education startup at the moment, I’ve recently been refreshing my data.

So, here it is: my version of Jussi’s post, but the EU-only version 🙂

The Deals

Venture capital funding for social games, virtual world, casual MMO and casual games

T=Machine » Over $150M invested in Europe into social games, VWs, casual MMOs & games.

SPRING Singapore – offers $50 million to Tech Startups – itsReal

SPRING launches $50m programme to turn R&D concepts into businesses 1. Technology-savvy entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) keen to commercialise their R&D ideas can now tap on SPRING Singapore’s new Technology Enterprise Commercialisation Scheme (TECS). 2. The $50 million programme is an extension of SPRING’s Technology Innovation Programme (TIP), which was launched in August 2006. Developed with the support of Agency for Science, Techology and Research (A*STAR), National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and National Research Foundation (NRF), TECS aims to support more than 100 ideas over the next five years. 3. Speaking at the SPRING Enterprise Conference 2008 at Matrix @ Biopolis today, SPRING’s Chairman, Mr Philip Yeo said, “New product development is highly risky – especially so for those based on new technologies and aimed at creating a new market. When successful, such innovations can enable our companies to leapfrog their competitors. We need more of such breakthrough innovations.” 4. The TECS will provide the support to enterprises and entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to the market. The funding will be given in two phases. 5. The first critical phase is for Proof-of-Concept. Proposals will be assessed based on their commercial potential and technical feasibility. Successful applicants can receive 100% grant support of up to $250,000. The second phase is for Proof-of- Value. This is open to applicants who wish to carry out further R&D on the project, including the development of a working prototype. Successful applicants can receive grant support of 85% of up to $500,000 to fund the development from proof-of-concept to productisation and commercialisation. 6. “Technology projects, especially the development of in-house proprietary technology, have very high inherent risks. The support from the Technology Enterprise Commercialisation Scheme will help SMEs like Cal-Comp to mitigate some of these risks. This will encourage SMEs and entrepreneurs to embark on R&D activities, thereby contributing to the national efforts in promoting R&D activities and developing research talents,” said Mr Jeff Chan, Managing Director of Cal-Comp Technology Pte Ltd, a local company specialising in hard disk drive development, as well as design and engineering services for hard disk drive products, communication technologies and printers. 7. Mr Mike Holt, CEO of Singapore-based technology start-up, XID Technologies agrees. “XID is changing how people secure data and locations with the world’s only face recognition software that functions reliably in varying lighting conditions, like with laptops, phones and outdoor physical access systems. Proving this technology onto mass market image sensors takes this to the next level. SPRING’s Technology Enterprise Commercialisation Scheme will enable us to make this real,” said Mr Holt. 8. Following the success of the inaugural event last year, SPRING further expanded this year’s SPRING Enterprise Conference from a half-day event into a full-day Conference, focusing on the theme: “Growing Innovative Enterprises”. Some 450 participants from leading SMEs, Chambers of Commerce and Industry Associations attended the Conference. 9. As the Platinum Sponsor, HSBC believes the SPRING Enterprise Conference is an important platform for communicating with SMEs. And according to Ms Serene Soh, HSBC’s Senior Vice-President and Head of SME, Singapore SMEs have what it takes to succeed, not just at home but internationally. “SMEs are the key to our business at HSBC. That’s why we use our extensive international network and global experience to help SMEs establish themselves abroad,” Ms Soh said. 10. Highlights of the event included a keynote speech by Mr Paul Peeters, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Philips Electronics Singapore Pte Ltd, on how Philips has leveraged on innovation to grow. Parallel workshops on four key capability areas – Money, Markets, Management and Know-how were also held to provide participants with a deeper understanding of each area. 11. The SPRING Enterprise Conference 2008 was sponsored by Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) and co-sponsored by SAP and Coface. The official media partner was The Straits Times. Fact Sheet on Technology Enterprise Commercialisation Scheme (TECS) What is TECS? SPRING Singapore’s Technology Enterprise Commercialisation Scheme (TECS) can provide the vital resources to help convert breakthrough R&D concepts and proprietary IP into promising businesses. By addressing early-stage funding gaps, TECS aims to help technology enterprises and entrepreneurs in Singapore to grow past their embryonic phase, secure third party funding and achieve growing revenues. Who can apply? Technology-savvy entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can all apply. They can tap on TECS if their company meets the following criteria : at least 30% of the shareholding is local the company’s group fixed assets are below $15 million the company has no more than 200 employees (for companies in the services sector) physically present in Singapore registered/incorporated for less than 5 years at the time of the award has at least one in-house technology engineer or scientist Individual Principal Investigators, as well as research scientists and engineers from public sector research organisations are also considered for funding under the Proof-of-Concept (POC) phase How does TECS work? TECS is a competitive grant in which proposals are ranked based on the evaluation of a team of reviewers, and the best proposals are funded. We will invite submissions twice a year for Proof-of-Concept (POC) and Proof-of-Value (POV) proposals through the TECS website http://www.spring.gov.sg/tecs. Proof-of-Concept (POC) POC is for applicants who wish to develop ideas at the conceptualization stage. Applicants are invited to submit proposals for proof-of-concept of their proprietary technology ideas. All proposals will first be assessed on their technically feasibility and commercial potential. Individual applicants will be required to demonstrate commitment to continue their technology commercialisation work in the event they are awarded a grant and successfully complete the project. Up to 100% of qualifying costs for each project will be supported, up to maximum of S$250,000. Proof-of-Value (POV) POV is for applicants who are keen to carry out further R&D on a technology project, including the development of a working prototype. This project must be based on a proprietary technology IP which has successfully demonstrated proof-of-concept. Applicants are required to demonstrate proof-of-interest from a potential customer or 3rd party investor. You will also have to demonstrate the necessary business competencies to execute the project. Up to 85% of qualifying costs for each project will be supported, up to maximum of S$500,000. Qualifying costs include : Manpower-related costs Professional Services Equipment/ Software Intellectual Property Rights Materials & Consumables Other Operating Expenditure What are the areas of focus? We welcome proposals in the areas of : Electronics, Photonics & Device Technologies Chemicals, Materials Science, Nano Technology Optical, Wireless and Hybrid Communications Systems Biomedical Sciences (excluding Biotechnology) What is deadline for submission of proposals? There will be a Call for Proposals once every 6 months. The first Call for Proposals will begin 17 Apr 08. The deadline for submission is 30 Jun 08. Applicants are welcome to submit proposals for both Proof-of-Concept and Proof-of-Value phases. Shortlisted applicants will be informed within 6 – 8 weeks after the closing date for submission. Where can I find more information? For more information on TECS, please visit http://www.spring.gov.sg/tecs or contact the EnterpriseOne hotline at Tel: (65) 6898 1800 or email enterpriseone@spring.gov.sg.

Funding for Second Life business proposals – itsReal

I located this on Metaversejournal.com – aspiring virtual world content creators might like to check it out !

Do you have an idea for a project that would enrich the lives of Second Life Residents? Some event, interactive environment, game, cultural or artistic production that would make the landscape of the virtual world more interesting? Or some completely new idea that will engage and interest residents?

“FFRC Seeking Proposals for Rich Content Project FundingThe Foundation for Rich Content is a funding organization here in SL that awards grants, seasonally, to makers of rich content. Past fundees have produced SL sports and performance events, classes, interactive museum displays, building contests, events for new residents and more.

If you believe you have an idea for a project that would enrich the lives of SL residents, consider completing our application form and submitting it by March 15. Proposals should be titled FFRC Spring 08 application (name of project). Proposals should be sent to Persephone Phoenix at FFRCOfficerPerse@gmail.com by midnight, March 15, 2008. Three grants will be awarded for a maximum of L$25,000 (Twenty Five Thousand Linden Dollars) each. Someone interested in making a smaller project (say a weekend event) can ask for an appropriate level of funding, but the FFRC will not grant more than $25,000 for a single project in this round of funding.

For more information, contact Persephone Phoenix or Jamys Vuckovic, or check out the Google Groups page by Googling SL Foundation for Rich Content.“