Early stage fundraising without a track record or an established network is really tough. You may have no choice, but at least try to do your homework, make your first impression as professional and clear as you possibly can, and try to find some common ground as a basis for discussion, or ideally, a person who can provide a warm introduction

For entrepreneurs, the ability to convey sharp, compelling and memorable messages that resonate with your audience is an absolutely critical skill

I think it’s a refreshing and healthy change that investors are now focused on real solutions and clear paths to achieving them, rather than big visions with no clear plan to achieve anything beyond an up round or two and an attractive exit for early investors.

The economic climate has turned challenging, and many are re-thinking conventional approaches to work. Having lived through several economic downturns and cultural “revolutions”, I take comfort in the fact that some of the best companies have gotten started during some of the most challenging times

Rather than fret too much over valuations, early stage companies would be wise to focus more on their plans to create value, showing clear indications of progress to date, credible milestones going forward, and near term plans to generate revenue on a capital efficient basis.

Bridge financings are meant to carry a company to their next equity offering. Investors want comfort that they are actually participating in a “bridge” and not a “pier” (a bridge to nowhere). Entrepreneurs should consider their concerns when structuring and pitching the round

All aspects of strategic marketing and sales start with positioning. And effective messaging. Your targeted audience needs to be made aware of who you are and what you have to offer. They must understand your value proposition, why it matters to them, why it's so compelling, and why it's superior to any of the other solutions that may be available to them

Valuations are always subjective. It’s about what a company can convince an investor they are worth, at that point in time, taking into consideration current market conditions and other ways in which the investor might choose to deploy their funds

Mental mindset for the startup CEO, inevitable unexpected events, and the benefits of working for a large company first

Micro-influencers: the latest incarnation of KOLs to drive brand recognition and product adoption, and a critical component of marketing programs for technology based ventures

Many new ventures intend to leverage a platform capable of addressing many opportunities, or get started with the intent to solve one problem and realize they can serve many different markets. In the majority of cases I’ve found that focusing on one market niche first enhances the likelihood of long term success

Jean “Coco” Montagu was my founding partner at Genetic MicroSystems in 1997, and our relationship literally changed my life for the better. Here are some memories shared at a recent life celebration following his passing last year

Finding the right CEO to lead an early stage company is one of the most important and difficult tasks facing a company’s Board of Directors

The pursuit of happiness, as both an end and a means, is a critical component of any business with which I’d want to be involved

There’s a huge difference between confidence, passion, the ability to effectively communicate your message and inspire others, versus faking it

As part of a mentoring program in which I participate, organized by the MIT Club of Boston, I was recently asked to share my thoughts on nurturing a healthy corporate culture, and the related topic of how to successfully lead teams. Click the link and scroll down to see the slides presented

Rather than leading to a “go/ no-go” decision, IP analysis more often provides inputs used to formulate a business strategy that takes into consideration the specific circumstances, and involves making decisions in the absence of definitive information

Two seemingly unrelated events over this past week inspired me to write some thoughts on relationships, networking, and mentoring.

Ever since the COVID19 pandemic took hold in early 2020, many people have been re-thinking the classic office work model. Having chosen to live and work remotely more than 20 years ago, I have a bit of experience with this approach, some perspectives to share on what it was like back in the day, and some lessons learned that hold true today

Over the past 40 years I’ve witnessed at least three major paradigm shifts in public awareness regarding the impact of biological research, all driven by unexpected catalysts, and all creating new business opportunities.