Download META Group Poland Experince Investor Readiness Programme

INVESTMENT FUNDS FOR INNOVATIVE
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
How to become ready for investors?
META Group
Andrea Ferrara & Joan Canela Serentill
Katowice
16/12/2014
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme.
META Group
META Group in Poland Experince
Investor Readiness Programme
META Group
META Group
Our mission
Knowledge
Shaping Policies
to
Entrepreneurial Regions
Market
Investing in start-ups
META Group in Poland Experince
PART II – OUR FUNDS
META Group Poland
Ingenium Fund
Ingenium Poland is a public-private fund in Poland investing
in seed, start up and expansion stage companies based in
Poland. It has been launched in 2013.
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It can finance start up and expansion stage companies
based in Poland;
20 million EURO under management;
Resources are 50% public – 50% private;
focus on innovative companies coming mostly from the ICT,
Healthcare, Energy and Cleantech Sector.
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PART II – OUR FUNDS
META Group Poland
Xplorer Fund
Xplorer Fund is the first proof of concept type of fund
based in Poland. It has been launched in 2014. The fund will be
operational in 4Q of 2014.
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It can finance technology driven projects or start ups
5 million EURO under management;
Resources are 80% public – 20% private;
focus mostly on high tech project from ICT, Life Science,
Cleantech, and Energy Sector.
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Policy Dialogue on the topic of participation to
the European Research Area performed on
March 31st and on November 5th
META Group
Poland
Key players:
• Policy making (representatives of the following Ministries of: Science and
Higher Education, Infrastructure and Development,
• Implementation (National Centre for Research and Development, Institute
of Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, University of Technology and Life
Sciences in Bydgoszcz, Information Processing Institute, National Contact
Point, Warsaw University of Technology Business School, Kozminski University,
Marshal Office of Malopolska Region,
• Operational/support actors (Avation Valley, AMU Fundation – Poznan
Science and Technology Park Adam Mickiewicz University Foundation, Polish
Business and Innovation Centres Association)
Investor Readiness Programme
From the business to access to finance
Challenges
• A common request for support in access to finance expressed by
entrepreneurs and would be entrepreneurs;
• A low level of awareness on early stage financing;
• The need to improve business planning in terms of:
 Business modeling
 Strategic planning
 Internationalization strategies
 Marketing
 Financial forecasts
• The need to understand the importance of identifying the
international opportunities;
• A lack of capacity to present efficient business propositions to
investors.
From the business to access to finance
To be investor ready
“ Ideas alone are not scalable. Only when an idea is put into words
that people can clearly understand can an idea inspire action ”
Simon Sinek
From the business to access to finance
To be investor ready
Investor Readiness Programme is born to support entrepreneurs and
would-be entrepreneurs in getting the capital needed to enter the
market and thus to succeed
The format aims at
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Raise the level of awareness of early stage financing among
nascent entrepreneurs
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Increase the capacities of presenting effectively the business
proposition to investors
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Boost the access to finance
Who it helps
Making the difference
This truly valuable and highly tested international programme is the result
of a longstanding experience on seed and angel investing and the expertise
gained working for the last 20 years to help
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Intermediaries organizations (such as RDAs, incubators,
financial and regional development agencies, technology parks, etc)
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Entrepreneurs
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Would be entrepreneurs
To be investor ready
The benefits for participants
The most suitable programme to be investor ready to

Guide entrepreneurs in identifying the weaknesses of their
business ideas and working on their improvements
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Support them in fine-tuning theirs business plan adding all the
relevant information requested by investors
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Introduce to them all the available sources of start up financing
including equity and supporting them in choosing the most
suitable
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Support entrepreneurs
potential investors
in
effectively
match
making
with
Modular scheduling
Customized for regions and entrepreneurs
This programme is organized around 3 main blocks
Preparatory Block
• Finance for startups
• Assessing investor readiness
Enabling Block
• Business modelling
• Strategic marketing and business development
• Financial forecast
• The business planning process
Practicing Block
• Investor pitching
• Pitching simulations
Modular scheduling
Self assessment-tool
AyR – Are you Ready? is a self-assessment tool that is used during the
Preparatory phase (preparatory block)
This tool, combined with the one-to-one coaching will help the trainer to
define the related training work plan tailored on the specific investment
readiness level of the entrepreneurs and would be entrepreneurs
Investor Readiness Programme
Training materials and manuals
Investor Readiness Programme
Training materials and manuals
Investor Readiness Programme
Distribution and Delivery of the Programme
Manuals,
Attachments,
Training
documents are
available to all
the partners
both in online
files and on
paper formats
and distributed
on-site (during
the training)
Implementation
assistance
Train-thetrainers session
&
Simulation of a
pitch
(Ruse May 1415 2014)
Pilot test
provided in
Poland, Bulgaria
and Belgium
&
Coordination
with all the
partners for
dissemination
activities and
implementation
of the format
Investor Readiness Programme
Simulation of a pitch
To clearly and convincing present your business proposition in a
few minutes
1)
2)
3)
Why are you pitching? (what is your objective?)
Who is the audience?
 Who are they?
 Why are they here?
 What are they looking for?
 What are their screening criteria?
What are you looking for? (how much? – to do what?)
Investor Readiness Programme
Simulation of a pitch
The first 30 seconds are crucial, you have to make an impact by
presenting:
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•
•
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What problem you are going to solve
Your value proposition (how does your venture solve such problem?)
Why you are the right person to achieve the result
Why your company is a good deal for invertors
Investor Readiness Programme
Simulation of a pitch
TRICKS & TIPS for pitching:
1. Avoid slow start (first 30
seconds are crucial)
2. Say only key things
3. Do not speak too fast
4. Use short clear sentences
5. Use pauses
6. Talk to the audience
7. Respect time
8. Exercise!!!
Investor Readiness Programme
Simulation of a pitch
Example of Pitch
Part1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzcQtXA5Gc8
Part2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhKxPn_g_40
Thanks for your attention
Andrea Ferrara
[email protected]
Joan Canela Serentill
[email protected]