MKT 466 Course

FOC Accelerator helps high growth international startup companies move into the global partnering arena through a two-week Boston based immersion program integrated into LSN’s Redefining Early Stage Investments Conference Series.

FOC’s main goal is to get the key executive team proficient in rudimentary sales, marketing and business development skills needed to attain series A and B round capital. FOC staff provides one-on-one coaching, tailored for each company’s needs. At the end of FOC’s two-week immersion course-MKT466, the executive team will have a vetted global target list (GTL) of partners that are a fit for them, an up-and-running CRM infrastructure to manage and track the status of that list, proficiency in pitching their firm and an intimate understanding of the firm’s capital needs and the financing deal they want to structure.

The FOC staff and partners who participate in the MKT466 training course are all currently major players and active in the life science business arena. There are no consultants or retired executives in this program.

Syllabus

The morning sessions are classes teaching scientist-entrepreneurs business skills for company launch, capital raise, canvassing and channel partnership development. (See details in the syllabus)

The afternoon sessions include lectures and hands-on exercises in developing a company’s  branding & messaging and curating and reaching out to a list of global investors and channel partners.

  1. Utilize LSN’s Company Database to build a full picture of global landscape of competitors
  2. Utilize LSN’s Investor Database to find investors and partners that are a fit for your stage of development and product set and aggregate a global target list
  3. Refine investor-centric marketing collateral (following the instructions of the Branding and Messaging class)
  4. Leverage your infrastructure to do email marketing in Constant Contact and nurture leads in Salesforece.com
  5. Start email and phone canvassing each day, supervised and mentored by LSN expert BD staff
  6. Set up intro phone calls and meetings
  7. Prepare for the upcoming RESI conference

The evening or extracurricular sessions are free time for companies to meet life science ecosystem players in Massachusetts and attend life science networking events, such as BiotechTuesday.

Click Here to View the Full Syllabus

Course Leader

Dennis Ford

Founder and CEO, Life Science Nation (LSN); Creator, Redefining Early Stage Investment (RESI) Conference Series, 4D Meets AI Conference, and Longevity, Health & Innovation Conference; Architect, Focus on Cures Accelerator; Owner, Boston Innovation Capital (BIC); Member, SPIC/FINRA Advisory Firm

Dennis Ford is an entrepreneur and author with distinct expertise in sales, marketing, and business development. He has spent most of his career finding, vetting and launching a myriad of technology-based companies. Over the last decade, he has worked extensively with global alternative investors and is deeply interested in getting funding for high-growth early-stage technologies. He is a big proponent of using profiling and matching technology to find that all-important business fit in the marketing and selling process. In today’s context Dennis can connect early stage life science companies with 10 categories of global partners thus making the finding of capital and distribution channels very efficient.

Dennis created the Redefining Early Stage Investments conference series to facilitate an interactive ongoing dialog between buyers and sellers in the life science arena. Before LSN, Dennis was the President and CEO of a company that improved the way hedge fund and private equity fund managers raised capital and marketed their funds to investors. Ford is the author of The Peddler’s Prerogative and The Life Science Executive’s Fundraising Manifesto, two well-received sales and marketing books.

The Course Will Cover

  • The myriad of options available in the financial arena, from grants, debt and tailored credit to seed, angel, venture and syndicated equity deals
  • How to map and forge relationships with a professional network of domain-specific players who will support your journey: payers, large corporates, Big Pharma, and a full range of service providers and investors
  • Issues involved in Corporate Cash Investment Management, so you will know when you need operational liquidity or strategic capital.
  • How to obtain and utilize working capital to move your business forward and make sure your money works for you
  • How to phone & email canvass a target list
  • Set up intro phone calls and meetings
  • Treasury management, which is a deep understanding of the best streamlined processes for receivables and payables, and best practices for creating efficiency and securing access to cash

Skill Development

  • Understanding the specific multi-tasking responsibilities that are required of a scientist-entrepreneur in an early-stage life science startup
  • Learning basic usage of the tools designed for financing and managing a startup company
  • Developing strategies and tactics for the process of moving toward commercialization
  • Mastering the verbal and written skills required for business development and financing
Course Material

The Life Science Executive’s Fundraising Manifesto (LSEFM) by Dennis Ford. Companies will receive the book at no cost and may elect to receive a hard copy or eBook. You can preview the book by clicking here