Biotechnology YES Presentation Skills
Who? Jane Nolan MBE Entrepreneur and Enterprise Educator supporting the work of Newcastle University Careers Service MD Venture Coaching and Consulting Ltd 2nd Year PGR
Session Aims To enable you to be confident when planning, preparing and presenting a pitch to an audience To consider this in the context of the Biotechnology YES Competition To critique and learn from the 2010 Winners elevator pitch To have a go & give each other feedback
Biotechnology YES Not a hard copy business plan Assessed on the presentation - SO Vitally important that you have A compelling story to engage and convince your audience to invest in your idea and your team Well constructed, slickly presented You need to speak confidently about your business and answer questions well
Judging Criteria Overall structure and presentation Feasibility of: Research and development and IP strategy Commercial and marketing strategy Financial planning strategy Management and personnel strategy
Audience You are pitching to potential investors They are looking for growth potential supported by convincing research Will your product or service sell, what is your USP, how profitable will the business be, how will it grow? Who are the team and what are their strengths? Can you protect your IP? How will you finance the business? What is their exit strategy going to be?
The audience Will expect you to speak convincingly Will expect you to have the authority and ability to speak about your subject Will listen closely IF you capture their imagination Are easily distracted Respond well to variety Are normally friendly and sympathetic...so keep them engaged and interested!
Biotechnology Yes Winners 2010 Microbe Solutions Ltd Elevator Pitch Critique it Strengths Content Structure Delivery
Biotechnology Yes Winners 2010 Chris Cobb delivering Microbe Solutions Ltd (University of Manchester) elevator pitch http://www.biotechnologyyes.co.uk /videos.html
Your Presentation Opportunity to make an impact To inspire To be memorable It is a type of performance It needs to be prepared and planned with great care and performed with confidence
Structure Prepare your script a compelling story Beginning Middle End
Introduction - Beginning Make a bold start-say something interesting and attention grabbing! Make a bold statement of the opportunity your business will address Use a quote / anecdote / article / challenge/ question
Bill Gates Foundation Malaria causes nearly 1 million deaths per year and 85% of those who die are under 5 years old. 90% of the deaths are in Africa. We aim to improve existing and develop new tools to prevent and treat malaria. Our long term goal is to eradicate this deadly disease.
Core Content - Middle Take the audience on a logical and memorable journey through your story Have a simple but strong story line Make it relevant to them Seize and keep their attention Be careful of humour... it can be disastrous
The Conclusion - End Summarise the key points Refer to where you started End with a call to action Have a clear ending and a big finish Let your passion and enthusiasm shine through to the very end
Biotechnology YES Presenting your business MARKETS Market significant demand, scaleability? Approach business model, strategy? Risks and returns how will you make money, what are the risks and how will you mitigate them? 3-5 years for VCs need high returns! What will your business be worth? What is the exit strategy for the VCs?
Biotechnology YES Knowledge Patents, Trade Marks, IP Ethical, legal, meeting regulations Team an excellent team, covering all roles, everyone aware of the plans for the business, with shared goals and vision Sustainability profit generating, pipeline of development for the future
Need to Consider Finance Tree Proposition People Potential Path to market Proven How much Funding needed? - enough to grow Financial return Forecasts and exit Is there a significant enough market? Is it scaleable? Do you have innovative, defensible products? Do you have a strong management team?
Elevator pitch gives helpful structure but your pitch will be 15 minutes!
Elevator Pitch Checklist Bold statement of the problem (attention grabber) Our product is (simple non-technical description) That provides (key benefit that solves problem) For (target customers) Who have/are (compelling reason to buy) Unlike (objective analysis of competitors shortcomings) CfEL, Cambridge University, 2006.
Elevator Pitch Checklist Our unique selling point is (main source of competitive advantage) We need to raise in order to (why you need the money) Call to action (engineer feedback and a follow-up meeting) CfEL, Cambridge University, 2006.
Think about: Visual aids Your notes Handouts Audience The room / venue Preparation
Visuals DO make them easy to understand space information out less is more Break down complexity simple slides grab attention allow time for the audience to absorb use colour carefully
Handling nerves Nerves are natural even top athletes experience them Adrenalin and commitment drives performance Try to relax, breathe deeply, shoulders down Start slowly...use your voice Speak to the whole room
Smiling helps Handling Nerves Keep the energy throughout your sentences don t let them fall off Pause for effect (and to breathe) Arrive in plenty of time and check everything is in place
Handling nerves Practise!!!! Have plenty of rehearsals and run throughs
What s the worst that could happen?! Make a risk analysis of what could go wrong and what you will do about it. Think about who will have responsibility for what Consider everything but don t miss out the obvious.
Key Points to Remember Please make your presentation The audience who are they, what do they want from us? memorable and make The message what s the big thing we want to say? sure you show How do we effectively evidence use the that time? you have a well researched business idea
PowerPoint presentations You don t have to use powerpoint (or any electronic presentation, but if you do: Use the slides as a support Never read a slide to the audience Avoid design templates, create own visual theme One idea per slide, limited text/bullets Not too much animation High quality images Bad slide!!! Use sans-serif fonts All the technology in the world won t hide a poor presentation http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1762603
Your Style Believe in what you are saying be convinced of its truth and importance Empathy and sincerity Plenty of eye contact Refer to notes, don t just read them Modulate your voice Keep the energy through to the end of each sentence
Your Style Be yourself let your personality shine through Use words and phrases that you feel comfortable with Beware of jargon or scientific language that your audience might not understand Be enthusiastic show passion it is contagious!
Keep their attention! Try introducing the next topic with Who can afford to ignore... Change your pitch and intonation
Questions In the competition - 10 minutes for questions Questions mean someone is interested - they give another opportunity to impress Receive feedback well
Questions Listen well Repeat or rephrase the question Be prepared to be challenged No one expects you to know everything think of ways to find out more for the questioner Keep an eye on the time
Think about your dress code!
Think about the Time!
Think about eye contact!
Think About the SPACE!
Think professional
Think questions!
Smile SMILE!!!!
Your Turn 2-3 minute Elevator Pitch Your competition idea if possible Sell us your business plan!
Summary Plan well Prepare well Practise like crazy!
Thanks and Good Luck with the competition!