START-UP BOOT CAMP FOR UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS AND INVENTORS
Start-up Boot Camp Announcement
Have you ever considered starting a company based on intellectual property developed during your research at LSU? Are you an entrepreneur who sees a business opportunity in university research, but aren’t quite sure how to get started? Launching, incubating, building, and ultimately monetizing start-up businesses based on university intellectual property is a growing area - and a new challenge for university researchers and entrepreneurs.
Come join the LSU, LSU AgCenter, and PBRC Offices of Intellectual Property, the Louisiana Emerging Technology Center, and the Louisiana Business and Technology Center for a 6-session instructional series formulated to provide a comprehensive education on how to launch a start-up from formation to exit. A different topic will be presented every Wednesday at 8am starting October 5th thru November 9th in the Louisiana Emerging Technology Center Training Room 205.
This “Boot Camp” is ideal for faculty, researchers, and graduate students whose work may lead to future inventions, as well as established inventors who are interested in commercializing their current inventions, prospective entrepreneurs, and tech transfer professionals.
The series is presented by academic start-up experts from around the nation and provides the detailed guidance you need to launch your start-up while ensuring it has the greatest chance of successfully navigating the challenges ahead.
Local business development professionals will also be attending each session in person to answer your questions.
CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST IS BEING PROVIDED BY THE LOUISIANA EMERGING TECHNOLOGY CENTER
The following sessions are free to attend, but registration is required.
To reserve your seat, please email your name and the session number(s)
you will be attending to Shanna Rutland atsrutland@lsu.edu.
October 5, 2011 – 8 am – 9:30 am
Session 1 – Early Decision Making
• Benefits and drawbacks to start-ups
• Assessment
• Bootstrapping issues
• Team building and dynamics
• Money matters and inventor buy-in (PRIMER – DETAILS TO COME IN SESSION 2)
October 12, 2011 – 8 am – 9:30 am
Session 2 – Money Matters
• The realities: Playing in the Investor’s Sandbox
• Angels versus VCs
• Valuation issues
• Equity allocations
• Option pools and other equity dilutions
• Investment schedules/tranches
• Milestones
• Alternatives
• The University Stake
October 19, 2011 – 8 am – 9:30 am
Session 3 – Creating a Solid Business Plan
• Managing Risk:
- Market Risk
- Technology/Product Risk
- Execution/Team Risk
- Financial Risk
• Problem & Solution Statement
• Mistakes to Avoid
October 26, 2011 – 8 am – 9:30 am
Session 4 – Funding Options and Opportunities
• Attracting and/or seeking out the right investor(s)
• Identify what type of funding you need and when
• Structuring the investment
• Common terms and pitfalls to avoid
• Investor turn-ons and turn-offs
• Current investment landscape and forecast for 2011
• Understanding and living with dilution
November 2, 2011 – 8 am – 9:30 am
Session 5 – Pitching Techniques: Get What You Want
• Preparation strategies - Timing, legal ramifications, NDA, confidentiality agreements, trade secrets, etc.
• Content
• How venue should impact the pitch
• What investors are looking for
• Key topics, words, and phrases – and common blunders
• Delivery techniques
• Striking the right balance between too much information, and too little
• Getting results – closing and follow-up
November 9, 2011 – 8 am – 9:30 am
Session 6 – Gauge Economic Impact and Outcomes
Prepare for growth while adhering to ARRA regulations
• Tracking local job creation and economic impact
• Growth strategies
• Stakeholder outreach
• Later-stage funding
• Case studies of successful exits and war stories
• When and how to seek a buyer
• Considering an IPO
• Freedom to operate
• Marketing strategies
• Legal issues related to exit strategies