Company presentation questions

The questions we are interested in the presentation having answered are below listed.

Problem Identification:

1. Is there a problem (need or opportunity) that exists that this product is designed to meet? Yes__ No__
2. Where is that need?     Commercial__     Industry__     Consumer__    Other____________
3. How well was the need (opportunity) for the product established and described?
   Need (and/or opportunity) is unclear__
   Need (and/or opportunity) definitely established __
4. You have the problem that was identified or know others (companies) who have it?
   Self: Yes__    No__  Others: Yes __ No__

Comments:

The technology, service or business model:

1. Can this product (or offering) solve (or meet) the need? Yes__ No__     I Have doubts__
   Not enough information is presented to know if it will __
2. Is this a unique technology or service, i.e., are there other products available like this?
   Yes__ No__     I don’t know__
3. Do you understand how the technology or service works? Yes__   No__
4. Does it seem easy to use for the market(s) intended? Yes__   No __
5. Will the strategy used to protect the idea work? Yes__ No__
   If “No,” how do you think others will copy the product or work “around” the strategy used by the company?
   Copy __   Work around__   Something else __

Company:

1. Is information about the company presented? Legal structure: Yes__   No __
   Ownership: Yes__   No __   Capital Structure: Yes __   No __   Insufficient Information __
   History: Yes __   No __   Location: Yes __   No __

Business model:

1. Do you believe people will pay to use this product or service?  Yes __   No_
   I don’t know __ If    “Yes,” what market(s) will do so?
2. Do you believe the revenue model(s) will work? es __   No __   Not enough information given __   
   If “No,” why not?
3. Does this company make its money through a service or a product or both? (Circle)
4. What changes, if any, can you recommend in their revenue model?

Product offering:

1. Do you think this product will meet the need (opportunity) that they described? Yes __   No __   
   Don’t know ___   Don’t have enough information to make this assessment
2. Are their time-lines for development in the various markets realistic? Yes __   No__    Don’t know __

Development of Product:

1. Does their product development time line seem reasonable? Yes __   No __   
   If “No,” how long do you think it will take? At least 50-100 % longer __    More than 100% longer __
2. Do their product development costs seem reasonable? Yes __   No __   
   If “No,” how much more should be budgeted? ____ % More
3. Have they identified any problems that they will face in developing their product?  Yes _    No __
4. Are their general technical personnel requirements on target?  Yes __ No __  Don’t know __
5. Do they have now the right technical team to manage the project?  Yes __   No __    Don’t know __
6. What approach would you recommend to meet cost and time factors?
   Outsource __   Hire employees__
7. Have they dealt with Regulatory issues adequately?  Yes __    No __    Don’t know __

Market Strategy:

1. Are the specific markets clearly identified?  Yes __ No __
2. Is the market entry strategy clearly defined and explained?  Yes __  No __
3. Do they have milestones to measure the success of their strategy?  Yes __  No __
4. If they have milestones, are they realistic? Yes __  No__  
   If “No,” are they too high __  too low __ Not relevant to evaluate acceptance __?  
   Are their sale-cycle times realistic? Yes __ No __ Not enough information given __
5. Do you believe their market entry strategy is likely to achieve their financial goals?   Yes __ No __
6. What strategies in addition to or in place of the ones they have identified, would you recommend for their market(s)?
7. What parts of their strategy will be their biggest challenges to execute and execute well (if any)?

Competition:

1. Have they identified the most likely competitors? Yes __  No __
2. What do you believe will be the competitive response by the companies they have identified as competitors?
3. Are there other competitors you are aware of that are not identified and assessed?
4. Do they have a meaningful competitive advantage? Yes __  No __  If “Yes,” what do you think  that is? 
   Management __  Technology (patent protection) __  Marketing adoption strategy ___   Others:______________

Management:

1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the management team?  
   Prior operational/marketing experience in related field: Strength__  Weakness___  
   Prior Start-up experience: Strength __  Weakness __  
   Prior software project management experience: Strength __  Weakness __  
   Others:_____________________________________________________
2. Are these the “right” people for the team  “right now”?  Yes __  
   They need different people __  Can’t tell from the information given__
3. What kinds of people do they need on their corporate/advisory board(s)?

Financials:  This topic relates to their slide presentation and their hand-outs (if any)

1. Is there enough information given on their short-term (1-2 year) expenses and revenues?  Expenses:  Yes __  No __  Revenues: Yes __  No __  If “No” to either what information would you liked to have seen?
2. Are their assessments of growth of revenues and expenses realistic?  Yes __  No __
3. Are their “profit” projections reasonable in amount and in the time line presented?  
   The Amount projected:  Yes __  No __  The Time-line presented:  Yes __  No __
4. Are the present funding request, future capital requirements and use of funds clearly and  specifically identified? 
   Yes __ No __  If “No,” what areas are unclear?  Present funding __  Future requirements __ Use of Funds __  
5. Are their growth “assumptions” meaningful?  Yes  __  No __  Not given ___  
6. Is their “top-down” or “bottom-up” (circle one) approach reasonable?  Yes __ No __ Don’t know __

Milestones:

1. Are the milestones presented useful ones to evaluate the success of the company?  Yes __  No __
   If “No,” what other ones would you like to have seen as milestones?

Exit Strategy:

1. Is the exit strategy realistic?
2. Is the time line reasonable? Yes __  No __  If “No,”  what is reasonable?  ___ Years

1. What do you believe the return on investment will be in the time frame identified?
2. Your guess would be____ % or you would not even guess ___
3. What company do you believe would be the most likely acquirer of this company?
4. If you had to guess, do you believe the acquirer would do it for strategic or for financial   reasons? 
   Strategic __  Financial __  Don’t know __
5. If you had to value this company at this level of development, what value would you put  on it?    
   ___ Dollars  __ Would not even guess
6. What do you think this company will “sell” for later?  __  Dollars  __ Would not even  guess__

General Comments:

1. Weaknesses of Company that must be overcome before it should be seriously considered for   investment?
2. What would be the reasons that you would give for not investing in this company (i.e., the  critical weaknesses)?  
   Management (experience and/or make-up):  
   Technology (uniqueness and/or protection):  
   Markets (size and/or competition):  
   Other reasons:_________________