Launch NY Newsletter – September 2016

Launch NY
Vital Startup Guidance for Entrepreneurs

Launch NY News & Updates


New Life Sciences Accelerator Program Kicks Off September 22nd: Join Fireside Chat Open to the Public Featuring Albany Molecular Research Institute, Integer (including Greatbatch Medical), and Mentholatum

After a competitive selection process that yielded selection of 11 biomedical companies from upstate NY, the new Critical Path program will hold a kick off day September 22, 2016 at UB’s NYS Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, which includes a fireside chat that is free and open to the public at 4 pm and features leaders from established life sciences companies in the region. Critical Path is a five-month program, created through our region’s selection as one of 16 U.S. communities earlier this year to be part of VilCap Communities, a collaborative effort with Steve Case’ Rise of the Rest program, Kauffman Foundation and Sorenson Impact Fund. While working with expert mentors on key business issues, the companies will also use a peer selection process to provide each other with feedback and choose two companies that each will each receive a $50,000 investment from the Launch NY Seed Fund at the program’s conclusion.

Please join us for the fireside chat this Wednesday at 4:00 PM featuring panelists Ashish Shah (Integer, including Greatbatch Medical – Lake Region Medical – Electrochem), Rory Curtis (Albany Molecular Research Institute), and Erick Estrada (The Mentholatum Company) and facilitator Marnie LaVigne,  (Launch NY). Space is limited, so please register today!

To read more about the 11 companies and advisory committee for Critical Path here.


#LaunchHour: Business Model Canvas: The 1 Page Business Plan for Startups

Traditionally entrepreneurs were told that their first step in launching a startup was to write a 25+ page business plan, a daunting task indeed! More recently, the one-page Business Model Canvas has saved the day for many would-be entrepreneurs. Hear from startups and mentors how this easy-to-use, but powerful tool can jump start your business launch and growth efforts. Join us Wednesday, September 21 12pm-1pm for our monthly TwitterChat, #LaunchHour at twitter.com/Launch_NY. Our panel includes, Ken Rother (Launch NY & Southern Tier Startup Alliance), Manoj Pooleery (Launch NY), Brett Kellgren (Patient Pattern), and Lawrence Forte (Pointii), who will be answering questions about the proven best practices of the Business Model Canvas and their real life experiences. Learn more here.


Congratulations to Launch NY President & CEO, Board, and EIRs for Recognition at the 2016 Venture Ecosystem Awards

In their second annual conference, Upstate Venture Connect (UVC) announced Marnie LaVigne, Launch NY President and CEO, as the “Ecosystem Champion” among nearly 20 nominees. Launch NY’s team was also recognized among numerous nominees, including George Chamoun, board chair, and Paul Brooks, EIR for “Community Catalyst,” Zach Shulman, board director, for “Ecosystem Champion,” and Paul Brooks, EIR, and Steve Nicosia, EIR, for “Magical Mentors.” Congratulations to all those recognized at the event, and many thanks to UVC for helping us celebrate our entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Startup Spotlight


Rachel’s Remedy

Congratulations to our client, Rachel’s Remedy, on their latest milestone!  It was recently announced that Rachel’s Remedy will be sold in stores at Wegmans and online at Target.com. Rachel’s Remedy is a medical device company whose product helps breast feeding moms. Rachel’s Remedy was the recipient of the first Launch NY Seed Fund investment this past March.

Critical Path Accelerator Program Companies

Congratulations to the 6 Launch NY clients, Abcombi Bioscienes, AccuTheranostics, Efferent Labs, Infonaut, POP Biotechnologies, and Virtual SurgerySIM, participating in the Critical Path Accelerator Program! And we welcome the additional 5 companies in the program from upstate NY into the Launch NY family. All 11 of the companies selected will joining Launch NY, University at Buffalo, Invest Buffalo Niagara, and the Western New York Incubator Network in Buffalo this upcoming Thursday for a kick off day, and you can too by attending the fireside chat open to the public at 4 pm by registering today!

Upcoming Events


September 21, 2016
#LaunchHour: Business Model Canvas: The 1 Page Business Plan for Startups
12:00 – 1:00 PM


September 22, 2016
Fireside Chat: Innovation & Growth among Our Life Sciences Industry Leaders
4:00 – 5:00 PM
Buffalo, NY


September 22, 2016
Commercialization Strategies
3:00 – 4:30 PM
Syracuse, NY


September 22, 2016
Networking@Rev
6:00 – 9:00 PM
Ithaca, NY


September 23, 2016
RocGrowth Coffee
7:30 – 9:00 AM
Rochester, NY


September 26-27, 2016
MEDTECH 2016
Albany, NY


 

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#LaunchHour TwitterChat Tips

Can’t make it to all the ecosystem events? Join us monthly online to learn and share and check our archive.
What are Investors Looking for in Life Sciences Startups?
August 17, 2016

Q3. How have trends in life sciences investing among VCs, Angels, and others changed over the years?
A3. Everybody moved to later staged in recent years. Startups have to develop more #LaunchHour (@NewYorkMedAngel)
A3. Regulatory changes, particularly around meaningful use and ACA have created numerous opportunities in the space. #LaunchHour (@chrisnbge)
A3. For development stage companies, investors seem more focused on commercial and reimbursement issues, while cap structure seems a focus for commercial stage companies #LaunchHour (@bloomburton)

Q4. How do you like being approached by startups?
A4. We appreciate being approached through a soft introduction and by email. #LaunchHour (@bloomburton)
A4. LinkedIn is a great way to connect initially. Introduction through mutual connections are great as well #LaunchHour (@chrisnbge)
A4. We are pretty small and new, so companies can contact me directly #LaunchHour (@NewYorkMedAngel)

Q5. How long does the process usually take?
A5. After presentation to the group, our process takes 2-3 months #LaunchHour (@NewYorkMedAngel)
A5. We like to get to know companies before they are looking to raise capital (typically over months to years). #LaunchHour (@chrisnbge)
A5. Depends, can be as quickly as 4 weeks, if company has everything together (term sheet, data room for due dil.) #LaunchHour (@mottcv)

For our full archive, click here.

 

Resources

Upstate NY Ecosystem Map
Check it out here >

Is Launch NY a fit for you?
Launch NY provides entrepreneurs experienced mentoring using best practice processes and connections to specialized resources both in and beyond the Upstate NY ecosystem.Thus preparing you to compete for and win the funding and additional resources needed to move forward. Apply Now! >

Entrepreneur Toolkit 
The toolkit is a set of templates and links designed to help start, launch and grow your business in upstate New York.
Check it out here >

5 Business Stages – Where are you?
Each stage contains critical deliverables for moving forward. Starting with the Explore stage, see where you are on the path to success.
Find out here >
EIR Introduction
Meet Ken Rother

Ken is a proven entrepreneur who has built and exited two successful tech/media start-up companies. He offers a unique blend of experience leading Web and Mobile technology teams, as well as in-depth operations expertise in organizations ranging from a few people to a few hundred.  He also leads Discovery Communications’ Digital Media Technology group, where he is responsible for the strategy, development and ongoing operations of the systems required to support Discovery’s 16 US websites, over a dozen mobile and tablet applications, and the delivery of Discovery’s hit shows to digital distribution platforms, such as Netflix, iTunes, and others. Previously at Discovery, Ken was responsible for the business and content strategy, programming and operations for a number of Discovery’s key web properties including; Animal Planet, TreeHugger, Investigation Discovery, Planet Green, and Military Channel.

Meet Ken through our #LaunchHour TwitterChat Sep 21: Business Model Canvas: The 1 Page Business Plan for Startups from noon to 1pm.
For more on Ken and our other mentors, please visit https://launchny.org/who-we-are/.

We appreciate your interest in our work and mission, and we are always eager to share our vision with those who just want to learn more about the “entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

Please feel free follow us on our social media channels or explore our website, and refer others interested in our organization and services.

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