gra tag competition workshop final

Helping Georgia entrepreneurs build

great technology companies

GRA/TAG Business Launch CompetitionWorkshop

Agenda

• Introductions• Logistics• The written application• Delivering your presentation• Q&A• Judges• Resources

Q&A @ Anytime

About Me• ATDC venture catalyst

– New media/Internet/InfoSec/open source– Applicants

• 13 years Internet operational experience– EVP, MindSpring– EVP & GM, EarthLink– CMO, CipherTrust

• Other projects– Atlanta Startup Weekend

• Skribit• Twitpay

– BarCamp– Skribit– Emerging technology company consulting

About ATDC

• A nationally-recognized technology incubator that helps Georgia entrepreneurs launch and build successful companies.

• Assisting judging of written materials• Coaching semi-finalists on

presentations• Charles Ross, Cindy Cheatham, Mary

Leary, David Sung

About GRA

• The Georgia Research Alliance was created to drive Georgia's strategy for capitalizing on university research to build a vibrant, technology-rich economy

• Internationally acclaimed model for bringing business, research universities and state government

• Sid Elliot GRA AT&T executive in residence

About TAG

• TAG is dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of the state's technology industry

• Provides leadership in driving initiatives in the areas of policy, capital, education and giving

• Brings the technology community together through events, programs and networking opportunities

• Tino Mantella, president• Melanie Brandt, director of community

About The Competition

• Goals– Motivate and support entrepreneurs– Support and expand strategic clusters– Create awareness that GA is a great place to

launch and grow technology companies

• One of the largest prizes in the country• $100,000 cash• $200,000 in kind services

Qualifications

• Georgia based• Internet technology

– Online services– Web applications– Infrastructure

• < $500k funding

Why Apply?

• There is the money• And the services• But there is much more…• Forcing event to get together investment

materials• Business vetting• Document feedback• Presentation coaching• Exposure to experienced entrepreneurs• Exposure to investors

Key Dates

• February 10: Preliminary entries

• April 7: Final entries

• May 6 - 8:Semi final presentations

• June 3: Final four presentations

How To Apply

• Preliminary round– 2 Page executive summary– Completed questionnaire– Terms and conditions agreement

• Semi finals & finals– 20 page business plan– 10 - 12 slide presentation deck– Mentor coaching– Practice presentation sessions

Some Writing Tips• Clearly explain

– The market– Your unique/innovative technology– Management team– Financials, stage of company and use of funds

• Be concise– 2 pages is 2 pages– More is less, a lot less

• Spell check!• Make sure the documents are consistent

Help Us Find You

• Put contact info on every document

• Include company name in all files

• Include company name in email subject lines

You Are A Semi-Finalist!

• Woot!• Do your homework on the judges• Build your pitch• Use Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 rule

– 10 slides– 20 minutes– 30 point font (this is 24, go no lower)

• Practice by yourself• Practice with a watch and mirror• Practice with your team• Oh yeah, practice Q & A

The Pitch

• Don’t go alone– They want to see the team– 2 - 4 people seems right

• Only the CEO should present• Dress the part• Do something relevant & memorable• Do not read your slides• Take backups

The Q & A Minefield

• Answer the question, bridge and shut up!

• Be honest, not defensive• You don’t say…

– “Well honestly”– “That’s a good question”– Or any variants thereof

• Have a teammate take notes• The CEO directs others

The Judges

• Want you to succeed• Will behave better then investors• Do not know the Internet as well as you• Will not know your business as well as

you• Will not have read your plan• Will bring distractions of normal work• Read them• Thank them

Resources

• http://www.tagonline.org/businesslaunch.php• www.peachseedz.com• http://erc.atdc.org/• [email protected]• [email protected]

Summary

• Great competition• Lots of value beyond the cash• We are here to help you succeed

Helping Georgia entrepreneurs build

great technology companies

Lance WeatherbyVenture [email protected]

http://atdc.orghttp://blog.weatherby.nethttp://peachseedz.com