Presenting to VCs Workshop
Building the Perfect Pitch
October 20, 2010 | 6-9 PM | Two Palo Alto Square | Palo Alto
Event Sponsor: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP

Your company presentation is your single most important fundraising document. Delivered to VCs at a conference or a partnership meeting, your pitch defines who you are, what you do and whether your company is worth a more critical look.

Most presentations simply miss the mark. They focus on what the entrepreneur wants to say rather than what VCs want to hear. The goal of this session is to bridge the VC/Entrepreneur communications gap. And unlike traditional pitching workshops offered by Powerpoint pros, this workshop is run by VCs and angel investors whose advice is battle tested from having heard and critiqued hundreds of pitches and having funded the best of them.

What you will learn:

• The key 'must have' elements in a pitch
• What VCs need to know before they will fund a deal
• The top red flags that earn an instant 'no' from investors
• How to avoid the Bermuda Triangle of pitching
• Do you have a 'winners' circle' team? Or San Quentin team?
• What your pitch says about YOU
• How to deal with VC Attention Deficit Disorder
• What are the key elements that transform VC's attitude from fear of failure to excitement and greed?

The session is highly interactive.  After an overview describing how and why VCs evaluate deals the way, attendees will practice crafting and critiquing the key elements of a pitch, including a company overview, value proposition, go to market strategy, effective description of your management team, and a summary of reasons to invest. Attendee participation in pitching and delivering feedback will be strongly encouraged.